Lost & Found
by Kamiyashi
Summary: Entangled Series 11. Kaiba will stop at nothing to get Yami back when he's kidnapped in place of Mokuba. Prideshipping: KxYY/YYxK
1. Chapter 01: At All Costs

**Title: ** Lost & Found

**Series:** Part 11 of _Entangled_. Takes place shortly after _Gifting_.

**Summary: **Kaiba will stop at nothing to get Yami back when he's kidnapped in place of Mokuba.

**Pairings:** Kaiba x Yami

**Rating**: Rated **M** for a graphic sexual lemon, language, adult situations, and violence.

**Disclaimer:** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ does not and will never belong to me.

* * *

**Chapter 01: At All Costs  
**

"So what did you want to talk about?" Yami asked Mokuba as they walked home together from school. It was still strange seeing Mokuba in a high school uniform, but in a good sort of way. Although, Yami had his suspicions that Kaiba would disagree with him; he just didn't seem ready to have his little brother grow up that fast.

Tightly gripping this bookbag strap, Mokuba felt foolish for being embarrassed to ask. He knew that Yami would most likely agree, but it still felt weird to just randomly make such a request of Yami, even if he did consider him to be a good friend. "Promise you won't laugh at me?" Mokuba asked first, still unable to shake the feeling that Yami would find his request funny.

"Promise," Yami agreed, his curiosity becoming more and more piqued.

Taking a moment to build up his confidence, Mokuba finally came out and asked, "Would you duel me?"

Out of all the possible questions Yami had been expecting, that hadn't even crossed his mind once. He had assumed it might be about Kaiba or something school related, but not about playing a game. "In Duel Monsters?" Yami clarified, not understanding what the big deal was.

"Yeah," Mokuba confirmed, nervously waiting for Yami's answer. "I've wanted to ask you for a while now, but…"

"But?" Yami prompted, hoping to get an answer from the younger teen.

Much like his older brother had done things during Duelist Kingdom he had later come to regret, the same was true of Mokuba. He still felt the shame of having challenged Yami so disrespectfully with stolen cards in an attempt to get his star chips in order to try and free Kaiba from Pegasus. "But I didn't think you'd want to play me after what happened last time," Mokuba mumbled, his cheeks heating up in his embarrassment.

Yami had to smother a grin at how adorably similar Mokuba looked like Kaiba in his reaction, but he kept his amusement out of his voice as he seriously questioned, "Are you only asking me because you want to make up for what happened last time we fought?"

"No!" Mokuba vehemently denied, looking up at Yami in earnest and confused by the fondness he saw in those scarlet eyes. "I mean, that was originally part of it, but I just really want to play against you and—"

"And I would love to," Yami interrupted to consent, failing to hold back his smile when Mokuba's face lit up in excitement.

"Really?" Mokuba exclaimed, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He had been trying to work up the courage to ask for some time now, but it was so hard to get Yami alone whenever they were all hanging out as a group.

Even as he wondered what Kaiba's reaction would be, Yami said, "Just tell me when and where."

"Tomorrow after school at my house?" Mokuba requested, knowing that Kaiba would be in a business meeting and couldn't watch them.

"Are you sure you don't want to do it today?" Yami asked, finding it strange that Mokuba would ask and not want to play immediately. "Seto's in meetings for another few hours, after all."

It was tempting, but Mokuba's loyalty won out as he explained, "But we promised Yuugi and everyone we would hang out with them later."

"We still could after the game," Yami pointed out, although he understood. It had been difficult recently to get everyone's schedules to line up since Anzu was working on the school's Cultural Festival committee and had meetings every day, which meant Yuugi was staying at school to wait for her. Honda and Jounouchi were on cleanup duty at the school and Kaiba always had work immediately after school ended—not that he would have joined the Yuugi-tachi to hang out regularly, though. Today they had all agreed to meet up at the Game Shop later in the day, so it meant Yami and Mokuba had some time to kill until the rest of the group joined them.

"But what if you want a rematch after I beat you?" Mokuba challenged, making Yami laugh heartily at how much it sounded like Kaiba talking.

* * *

"These are from nii-sama, aren't they?" Mokuba asked with a grin as he pulled out one of the honeydew melons in the fridge.

"Yeah, he spoils me with Takano," Yami confirmed with a soft smile before his stomach rumbled approvingly. "Want to split it?"

"Is it okay?" Mokuba asked, not wanting to take away from Yami's gift.

"That's what it's there for," Yami said by way of permission. "Why don't you cut it up while I go let Jii-chan know we're here?"

Nodding in silent agreement, Mokuba started rummaging in the drawers for a sharp enough knife to cut into the small melon while Yami left to go talk to his grandfather. He had only made a few cuts before Yami came back looking a bit bewildered. "What's up?" Mokuba asked as he made another slice.

"I guess he had a doctor's appointment or something," Yami replied, finding it odd that the Game Shop was closed during a weekday afternoon. "Either that or Arthur is in town again. But, more melon for us, right?"

"Yes!" Mokuba enthusiastically agreed, even as Yami started to eat one of the slices.

They engaged in small talk as Mokuba finished cutting the melon, but just as he was about to finish, a quiet sound caught his attention. Mokuba immediately looked up and tried to pinpoint the source of noise, almost as if someone was trying to test the back doorknob and see if it was unlocked. He shushed Yami when the older teen started to ask a question and Mokuba tightened his grip on the knife when he heard the door open with the faintest trace of noise, almost like someone was intentionally trying to sneak into the house. Anzu and Yuugi would never do such a thing and Honda and Jounouchi were incapable of it, so Mokuba was on full alert. His older brother could easily manage such a thing, but he wouldn't make a single sound; besides, it wasn't his brother's style to make a surprise entrance in such a manner. That left the grandfather or an intruder and Mokuba _really_ hoped it was the former.

Although it had been years since anyone had attempted to harm him in an effort to get to his older brother, Mokuba's instincts and training kicked in and he silently skulked toward the kitchen entrance, pressing his back close to the wall and peeking around the corner to see if there was any truth to his paranoia. The sight of two unidentified men in suits with earwigs creeping through the living room suspiciously made Mokuba's heart start to pound and his eyes frantically darted around the kitchen to figure out if there was any escape for himself and Yami. The window over the sink was too small and would alert the intruders that they were trying to get away. They were trapped with no way to get out other than a direct confrontation, so Mokuba prayed that the men decided to go upstairs to investigate so that it could buy them time or leave him only one person to deal with before getting away. Mokuba tensely waited and once again made a silencing gesture to Yami, who was about to ask a question over the confusing behavior he was witnessing.

Yami didn't understand why Mokuba was hiding against the wall, but he did as he was told, because the serious expression was so out of character that he didn't dare disobey. He remained motionless, eyes trained on Mokuba as he tried to understand what was happening. The sight of Mokuba edging away ever so slightly and turning with knife in hand worried Yami greatly, but he didn't have a chance to say anything about it.

Mokuba heard one set of footsteps going up the stairs, grateful that the old house had creaking stairs that the intruders didn't know how to avoid. That left Mokuba with one chance to make a break for it and he took advantage of that the moment the second man entered the kitchen. Without giving him so much as a word of warning, Mokuba swung his arm hard into the man's stomach, burying the knife deeply in his gut, making him double over with a cry. Using the position to his advantage, Mokuba pulled the knife out and then brought his knee up hard to connect to the man's face before punching him in the head with his fist and sending the man crashing to the ground, rendering him bleeding and unconscious in a matter of seconds.

"Come on," Mokuba hissed at Yami, gesturing for him to hurry so they could make their escape.

Yami was too stunned to move, his eyes frantically glancing between Mokuba and the bleeding stranger on the floor, unable to process what had just happened. Another growled order had him on his feet with the sheer authority of tone, even as he wondered what the hell had just happened. Mokuba grabbed Yami's hand with his non-bloodied one and tugged the older teen toward the door, hoping to escape before the second man came down the stairs. They made it as far as the living room before Mokuba heard the safety of a gun being removed and a voice call out, "Well, well, well. Look who decided to play hero."

Immediately getting into a defensive stance and forcing Yami behind him, Mokuba demanded, "Who are you?"

"Like I have to answer to a little punk like you?" the man scoffed as he walked down the rest of the stairs and began to approach them.

"Considering what I just did to your friend, yeah, I think you do," Mokuba taunted with a cruel smirk, hoping the man would look at his partner and give him the opportunity to act on the distraction.

"All you need to know is that I'm here for you," the man told him as he walked closer, "so we can either do this the easy way or the hard way."

With those words, Yami made his decision as he opened his connection with Yuugi, all but yelling at him, _"Aibou, call Seto now, it's an emergency!"_

"_What's wrong?"_ was Yuugi's first reply, but Yami didn't have time for that or the overwhelming rush of concerned fear that he just caused his aibou.

"_There are two men here trying to take Mokuba and they're armed,"_ Yami hurriedly explained. _"Call Seto, have him get his guys over to the Game Shop and make sure none of you come here until he says it's clear. Got it?"_

"_Yes, but Yami—"_

"_Now!"_

Minimizing their connections in the hopes that it would help Yuugi focus, Yami tried to figure out what he could do to help the situation. The man had yet to do more than give him a cursory glance and Yami planned to use that to his advantage. He didn't have any immediate access to weapons, but that didn't mean Yami was without options. As long as he could hold them off until Kaiba's security team came to help, Yami thought it might be okay.

Although the presence of the gun was a little unsettling to Mokuba, he tried to buy some time by making the man talk. He had learned from an early age that his kidnappers usually liked to use their words against him, so he knew that it would either buy him time or give him the opportunity to act. "They only sent two of you to take me?" Mokuba taunted, hoping to get an answer that would help him find out if there was back up waiting to come in and aid the man.

"Like we'd be that stupid," the man scoffed, making Mokuba's heart sink a little. That meant there was surveillance outside and probably a driver to take them away in a hurry, so even if he could get outside, there would still be more trouble ahead.

"You're not exactly smart," Mokuba argued and tensed to throw the knife in his hand. He didn't want to throw away his only weapon, but it was the only thing he could think of to do to disarm his attacker.

Seeing Mokuba's hand move, the man cocked his gun and pointed it directly at Yami as he warned, "I wouldn't recommend doing that if I were you."

"He has nothing to do with this," Mokuba growled, his fear increasing. He couldn't let anyone hurt Yami and Mokuba decided then to pretend to be complacent, dropping the knife to the ground. If he could get the man to take him into the van that was likely waiting for them outside, then Mokuba could make his escape without any harm coming to Yami. "I'll come with you, so—"

"I won't let them take you," Yami interrupted as he defiantly walked forward, disregarding the gun and Mokuba's protests. Yami knew that Mokuba had to be protected at all costs and he would do anything to keep his friend safe; he would never forgive himself if something happened to him, let alone want to face Kaiba. He opened up his connection again, startling Yuugi in the process, but there wasn't time to worry about that or anything else other than the problem at hand. Calling forth the abilities granted to him by the Millennium Puzzle, Yami drew on the full force of his powers as he felt the shadows grow long around him and the glowing third eye appeared on his forehead. It still wasn't enough for what he needed to do so Yami lowered all walls between himself and the ancient artifact, feeling a sudden flare of power course through him until even his scarlet eyes were laced with golden traces of his heritage.

"What the hell are you?" the man exclaimed, taking a step back from the bizarrely supernatural sight.

Although Yami was tempted to use his powers on the man, he decided to do what he could to protect Mokuba first. Focusing on Mokuba, Yami held out his hand urging the shadows at his command to run across the floor and wrap around the endangered teen before dissolving him into nothingness.

_Mokuba immediately began protesting, but he stopped when he saw where he was. He was no longer in the living room, but was alone in a foggy graveyard with distant roars in the background that sounded like they were getting closer. It was scary and confusing, so he called out to the space, "Yami, what's going on? Where are you?"_

"_Do not move from that position, understand?"_ _Yami's voice echoed, sounding far away and close by all at once._

"_Yes, but—" Mokuba started to agree, but he stopped when he felt Yami's presence disappear. "Yami!"_

_A loud roar behind him made Mokuba want to bolt, but he forced himself to remain where he was like he was told. Although he wanted to close his eyes and tell himself that none of it was real, Mokuba turned his head to look over his shoulder. He had not been expecting to see an embodiment of Yami's Osiris god card rapidly approaching and he didn't have time to question it before it was wrapping around him, coiling like a snake. He started to panic, but he felt the whisper of, "Protect," in his mind and it made Mokuba shiver at the weird sensation of a foreign being in his head._

_He had just calmed down again when a herd of monsters started to approach on the horizon, but there was nothing he could do with his arms pinned at his sides. Only when they were within range did Osiris fire off his Shouraidan attack, eradicating them all instantly. It made Mokuba feel an irrational urge to pet the dragon on the head in gratitude, but he simply mumbled, "Thanks," as he waited for Yami to come back and explain what was happening._

Once Yami was confident that Osiris would protect Mokuba in the Shadow Realm, only then did he refocus on the attacker. It was already draining him because the Millennium Puzzle was so far away, but Yami kept telling himself that as long as he could hold out until Kaiba's guys arrived, it would be okay. "_Leave_," Yami commanded, his voice deep with the power of shadows.

Even if the man was inclined to obey, he was rooted to the spot at the display of strange power before him. "Heh, hat's some magic trick you've got there," the man commented with a nervous laugh, swallowing down his fear. "But I'm not leaving without the kid."

Although he knew it was unwise, Yami reached out and flicked his hand, whipping the man's hand with a shadow and sending the gun clattering to the floor. The man started in shock at Yami, holding his wrist that burned with a numbness he didn't understand.

"How long does it take to kidnap a kid?" a new voice angrily demanded, causing Yami to look toward the door and his heart dropped when he saw it wasn't Kaiba's back up, but the man's. "What the hell is this?"

The new man gestured at Yami with a gun and he realized he was in serious trouble as it allowed the other man to pick his weapon up off the floor. He was outnumbered and almost completely spent, so he had no choice but to secure Mokuba with the only way he had left.

_Mokuba couldn't tell if he had been in the strange place for a minute or an eternity, but he was miserably waiting for something to happen. He felt something that felt like Yami brush against his mind, much like Osiris had done earlier and it once again was a disturbing feeling. The sadness, regret, and fondness echoing through him from Yami immediately made Mokuba start to protest, "Yami, what are you—?"_

"_Tell your brother I'm sorry," Yami murmured before the world went dark once more for Mokuba._

Staggering on his feet with the amount of power he had just used, Yami remained standing through sheer force of will alone. He could only hope that he had deposited Mokuba safely in his upstairs bedroom and that the men wouldn't check the house and discover him. The shadows were trying to claim him for his overusing his abilities, but Yami fought it off, trying to hold out just a little bit longer, knowing that Kaiba's men had to be close.

"Tell your boss that they cannot have the Kaiba family," Yami ordered them, hoping on the off chance they would be scared off by his show of power and leave before he collapsed. "I am their protector and I will not allow them to come to harm."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" the newcomer said before pistol-whipping Yami and sending him sprawling to the floor, knocked unconscious.

* * *

**A/N: **New story, new cliffhangers, a whole new reason to want to throttle me~.

I'm really excited to finally be working on this story. I've been laying the groundwork for the last two years throughout every single story of Entangled, so this is going to be one hell of a treasure hunt for my loyal readers who know that no words are ever wasted in these fics.

L&F is going to be a long fic; I've currently got it plotted out to roughly 40 chapters, but that number might change. Either way, we're in for a long story full of lots of twists and turns. I consider this a real turning point for all of the characters and I hope you enjoy the crazy ride!

I know that Mokuba's actions probably came as a shock to most of you, but I think with as many times as he's been kidnapped and based on the skill sets we've seen Kaiba demonstrate, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he received similar training to defend himself against attackers. The actions in the moment and the aftermath are two very separate things, though.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Everything went cold in Kaiba and he asked in a dark tone, "What happened?"_

Check back on **Sunday, October 31st** for the next update and please let me know your thoughts on this new story! I know a lot of you have been waiting for the last two years for me to get everything built up to this point, so I hope it's worthwhile!


	2. Chapter 02: Finding Out

**Chapter 02: Finding Out**

Resisting the urge to drum his fingers on the conference table in impatient irritation, Kaiba listened as his Chief Financial Officer outlined the slumping sales of the sales quarter profits and theorized about what caused it. Yes, it was important to know about, but Kaiba would rather read it in a report than have to listen to the man drone on in a monotone voice that was almost enough to cure him of insomnia.

Besides, his mind was elsewhere and still stewing in agitation over the earlier events in the day. He had missed homeroom because a meeting ran long, he spent his whole lunch break on a conference call, and he had left school early for another round of meetings—none of which had been good news. To top it all off, his schedule had left him with zero time to see Yami that day and it was frustrating to him. Yami was a high enough priority in his life that Kaiba always found a way to make time for him, plus his boyfriend was unusually creative with finding moments to sneak away together in school without consequences. But it had just been one of those days where nothing lined up because Yami had a retest, he had been pulled aside to help Anzu out on her Culture Festival, and Kaiba didn't even know what else.

Of course, it was a moot point since he would see Yami at the Game Shop when he picked up Mokuba after he got off work, but it still bothered Kaiba. Although, he was probably reacting poorly to it because of the bad news that continued to come out of his CFO's mouth.

Thus, it was almost a relief when his secretary quietly entered the room, but he was irritated by it as well. He had made it very clear that he was never to be disturbed and he knew if he left the meeting now, he wouldn't want to return later. It was more tempting than it should be to dismiss the meeting and take the call, but his work ethic wouldn't let him dodge work for such a reason.

The CFO continued giving his report as the secretary approached and Kaiba kept his eyes trained on the man as she whispered, "There's an important phone call for you, Seto-sama."

"It can wait," he tersely informed her, waving her away in dismissal.

"Sir, it's Mutou Yuugi," she continued, "and it's imperative that he speaks with you."

The identity of the caller made Kaiba look at her with an arched eyebrow, his mind finding it strange that Yuugi would call him at work. That could only mean one of two things: either something was wrong with Yami or Mokuba, neither of which was acceptable. "I'll take it in my office," he told her, giving her permission to leave.

Throughout the short exchange, the CFO had proceeded without interruption, something that Kaiba begrudgingly gave him credit for professionalism. "We're adjuring for a ten minute break," Kaiba loudly announced, secretly amused somewhat that he saw relief flickering on the expressions of several board members. "Dismissed."

Kaiba left before anyone else dared to rise, walking briskly to his office and trying to rid himself of the relief and irritation warring within him at the interruption. Trying to ignore the ominous feeling he got from the small blinking red light on his phone the signaled who was on the other end, Kaiba answered the phone with a harsh, "What?"

"Kaiba-kun, I know you don't like to be interrupted at work, but—" Yuugi started to say, but Kaiba wouldn't let him finish his apology.

"Are you _crying_?" Kaiba interrupted, sounding more disgusted than he meant to. He just didn't know how to handle those emotions, let alone with the tact and delicacy the moment required from him.

Yuugi sniffled in response and blurted out, "Mokuba-kun won't wake up and Yami is—"

Everything went cold in Kaiba and he asked in a dark tone, "What happened?"

"We don't know!" Yuugi exclaimed, sounding borderline hysterical. "When Anzu and I got home, Mokuba-kun was unconscious on Yami's floor upstairs and I don't know where Yami is."

"What the fuck do you mean you don't know where he is?" Kaiba angrily demanded. If anyone should know where Yami was, it would be Yuugi because of their shared connection.

Yuugi started crying in earnest, having lost the battle to control his emotions in his fear and upset. "He said that there were two men and—"

"Who said?" Kaiba once again interrupted, needing details so that he could act.

"Yami," Yuugi replied, his voice wavering as he tried to get himself in control. "He told me there were two armed men and he wanted me to call you, but I called Isono-san—"

"Wait, you called Isono before _me_?" Kaiba demanded, a dangerous flare of anger threatening to burst out of him.

The sound of Kaiba's voice scared Yuugi a little, but he explained, "I thought he would be closer and he could provide the backup they needed, so I had him head over first and then called you and—"

"Fine," Kaiba granted, actually pleased with Yuugi's insight in a moment of crisis. The delay it took for his secretary to inform him of the call and for him to take it and get the pertinent information would have been precious seconds that Isono would have been able to take advantage of with his advanced warning. "Then what?"

"Isono-san said that—said that they were g-gone when he got there," Yuugi stuttered as his tears started to affect his speech. "It was less than ten minutes, but they were, he was—Kaiba-kun, I'm so sorry…"

"Is Isono still with you?" Kaiba asked, not interested in pointless apologies that accomplished nothing.

"Yes, but Yami isn't, he's not—I mean, I can still feel him, but he's not responding and I don't know why. Kaiba-kun, _please_—"

Kaiba's feeling of dread amplified and he felt his emotions surge over it all as he became painfully aware of how powerless over the situation he was. His mind was racing to figure out what could be done and sitting in his office wasn't going to accomplish anything. Hanging up the phone without a word, Kaiba paged his secretary and told her to cancel all meetings, before hurrying over to his private elevator so he could go to his car.

Unaware of what just happened, Yuugi pulled the phone away from his ear as the dial tone continued sounding. "Did…did, he just hang up on me?" Yuugi stuttered as he looked to Anzu in confusion.

"No, he probably just—" Anzu started to reassure Yuugi, but Jounouchi interrupted her with his rage.

"That asshole seriously just hung up on you?" Jounouchi snarled, wanting to punch the bastard for his disrespect.

The sound of Jounouchi's anger caused Mokuba to whimper in his sleep, immediately silencing them as they looked toward the younger teen with worried expressions. Yuugi was startled when his phone rang, but he answered it quickly when he realized that it was just Kaiba calling him back. Wasting no time with greetings, Yuugi started to say, "Kaiba-kun, I know that you're upset, but—"

Kaiba wasn't interested in anything other than information that would help him understand what was happening. "Tell me everything you know," Kaiba tersely ordered.

"He will when you get here," Jounouchi told Kaiba after wrestling the phone away from Yuugi.

"Don't _even_ fucking start with me, mutt," Kaiba warned, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he continued speeding through the backstreets of Domino to try and get to the Game Shop faster. His patience was at its limits and dealing with Jounouchi was something that would end badly if he continued to be provoked.

Disregarding the warning, Jounouchi exclaimed, "You made my friend cry, asshole! And you think that I'm just going to—"

"He was crying before he called me, idiot!"

"So?" Jounouchi demanded. "You didn't have to hang up on him!"

"I was switching to my cell, you ignorant piece of—"

Recognizing that the situation was getting out of hand, Yuugi fought to take his phone back and he timidly interrupted, "Kaiba-kun?"

Taking a deep breath, Kaiba tried to force the anger from his voice; he wasn't mad at Yuugi and upsetting the teen further would be counterproductive to getting answers. "Yes?"

Kaiba could barely hear Yuugi quietly ask, "Are you going to come over?"

The question struck Kaiba as odd; Mokuba was possibly hurt and Yami was missing—where else would he be other than on his way? "I will be there in seven minutes," Kaiba estimated, although that could change because of traffic.

"But I called you at the office less than ten minutes ago!" Yuugi exclaimed, knowing it took far longer than that to get from Kaiba Corporation's corporate office to the Game Shop. "That's impossible, unless you took the Blue Eyes White Dragon Jet?"

"No, the preflight checks would have delayed me further," Kaiba told him, although the image of his dragon jet parked in front of the Game Shop would have amused him under different circumstances.

"Then how…?"

"Veyron."

"Okay?" Yuugi commented uncertainly, not understanding the significance of the name.

"I'll be there in three minutes," Kaiba recalculated, the power of his car giving him a little more confidence in his actions.

"It's barely been two minutes! How fast are you driving?"

"Not as fast as I could be," Kaiba answered with a growl before disconnecting the call to focus. As much as he wanted to go at top speed of 431 kilometers per hour, he was already pushing it by doing 258 kilometers per hour within city limits. It didn't matter, though. All that mattered was getting there and finding out what happened.

* * *

**A/N:** For those of you who aren't familiar with cars, the Bugatti Veyron is the fastest street legal production car on the market and can be yours for the low, low price of $2.8 million dollars. It can go a mile in 28 seconds, so yeah, that's a really fast awesome car.

I'm really pleased that the response has been positive so far! I know that there are a lot of questions about why Yami acted the way he did, but that will be answered in upcoming chapters.

Also, I've been noticing an increase in **anonymous reviewers** recently and I wanted to remind everyone that if you leave me a way to contact you, I'll answer whatever questions you may have!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Nii-sama?" Mokuba finally asked in a whisper that made him sound younger than his years. When Kaiba softly confirmed, Mokuba threw himself on his older brother and started to sob in relief, because if he was there then it meant Yami would be safe._

Update will go up on **Sunday, November 7th** and it's going to be a little more action-packed as the events unfold.


	3. Chapter 03: In Limbo

**Chapter 03: In Limbo**

Isono was waiting outside for Kaiba when he pulled up a few minutes later and he bowed to his boss before speaking. "Seto-sama, I apologize—"

"Save it," Kaiba harshly interrupted, not interested in words that did nothing to change the situation. "Tell me what you know."

"There were no signs of forced entry, but we did find traces of blood in the kitchen," Isono replied, making Kaiba feel ill when he wondered who the blood belonged to. "It appears they attempted to clean it up; the floor smells of a strong cleaning agent. However, they missed some of the splatter and I already had it and Mokuba-sama's school uniform jack sent to the lab for testing."

"His jacket?" Kaiba repeated, the dread spreading through him rapidly.

"I checked him for injuries and he has none," Isono replied, "leading me to believe that it is from the attackers."

"Could it…could it belong to Yami?" Kaiba forced himself to ask, the question far harder than he ever would have thought. He almost didn't want to know the answer, but he strengthened his resolve and stayed firm.

"Due to the pattern and location, it is doubtful," Isono postulated, giving Kaiba the smallest shred of hope. "What we cannot determine is where Yami-sama is, who took him, or why Mokuba-sama is unconscious upstairs."

Biting back his first angry comment, Kaiba took a moment to compose himself. "And why hasn't Mokuba been taken to the hospital yet?" Kaiba asked, finding it odd that with his brother in such a state, that action hadn't been taken.

Isono's eyebrows furrowed deeply as he explained, "Yuugi-san informed me that he has reason to believe that Mokuba-sama's state is a result of natural causes."

"What, from stress?" Kaiba scoffed, finding it ridiculous.

"Yuugi-san reassured me that he would explain it to you in greater detail when you arrived," Isono clarified, although it was an unsatisfactory answer for him.

That could only mean that there was some Millennium Puzzle angle to the situation that Kaiba was probably going to hate hearing, but it was the sole explanation for something that Yuugi wouldn't tell Isono. "Alright, anything else?" Kaiba asked before he headed inside to find out more.

"I've informed security and they're doing their best to find out more," Isono replied, knowing it wasn't much of an answer, but it was better than nothing. "I shall remain outside and on watch."

"No, go back to the mansion," Kaiba refused, knowing that the attackers wouldn't return. "I'll meet you back there later."

"Yes, Seto-sama," Isono agreed, even though he wanted to stay and watch over his boss.

With that done, Kaiba knocked on the front door and was surprised when Anzu was the first to greet him. She respectfully said nothing as she led the way upstairs to Yami's room; although Kaiba wanted to check out the kitchen and see what Isono had been talking about, Mokuba was his first priority.

When they entered the room, Kaiba was annoyed by what he saw. Jounouchi was sitting backwards in Yami's desk chair, Honda was lounging on the floor, Yuugi was sitting curled up at the foot of the bed with a small mound of tissues, and Anzu took her place by Yuugi's feet as she reassuringly rested a hand on his knee, all while Mokuba remained motionless on the bed. Even though it appeared that Mokuba was merely sleeping, the troubled expression on his face spoke of nightmares and unease.

It was easy to forget how young Mokuba actually was, but Kaiba got an all too painful reminder when he gently picked his brother up from the bed. His outgoing personality made him seem larger, but hanging limply in Kaiba's arms, it was impossible to ignore just how much of a child Mokuba was.

"Are you leaving?" Yuugi asked in a small voice with another sniffle, staring up at Kaiba with bloodshot eyes.

"No," Kaiba answered as he held Mokuba close to him, "just downstairs." He didn't want them to be in Yami's room, especially without him present; it made the absence that much more noticeable and Kaiba pushed down on the rising emotions. "It's easier to hear if anyone comes."

For once, not even Jounouchi argued with Kaiba's logic and they followed him back downstairs to the living room. Kaiba gently laid Mokuba down on the couch before sitting next to him while everyone took their seats. It troubled Kaiba when Mokuba whimpered in his sleep, but he soothingly ran his fingers through the wild tangle of black hair to try and bring what little measure of peace he could. It didn't comfort Kaiba, but at least he could see that Mokuba was uninjured and calming at the touch. There was no evidence of trauma to the head, but Kaiba could see the little flecks of blood on Mokuba's left hand that made him wonder just what in the hell had happened. However, there was little else that he could do except to wait and find out more.

An uneasy quiet descended on the group and Kaiba started to go through a list of any possible enemies who would try to harm Mokuba, but he kept coming back to why Yami wasn't present. Who would dare try to target him and why? Their relationship was thankfully still a secret from the media, so Yami should have been safe.

_Safe?_ Kaiba repeated to himself in disgust. If Yami was safe, it would mean that he would be in Kaiba's arms.

"Did you check the park?" Kaiba randomly asked, wondering if maybe Yami had gotten a little too comfortable on a park bench again. Although why Yami would be there when Mokuba was in such a state instantly made Kaiba regret voicing the thought out loud; the former pharaoh would never even think of abandoning him.

"He's…he's not asleep," Yuugi hesitantly said with a slight tremble in his voice, his emotions threatening to get out of control again.

"Unconscious?" Kaiba questioned, even though it as difficult to do without revealing his emotions. His heart was already filled with dread over the answer.

"I think so," Yuugi said, instantly squashing any hope that Kaiba might have had that Yami had left Mokuba in search of help.

Kaiba's voice sounded strange as he continued running through darker possibilities. "Did you…did you call the hospital?"

Yuugi could only nod in response; that was one of things that had made him start crying earlier. "I'm sorry, I was just too far away and—" Yuugi started to apologizing before stopping himself. "Maybe I could have done something…_anything_."

Instead of his normal insults over how useless Yuugi would have been under those circumstances, Kaiba commanded, "Explain."

Yuugi knew that he would only be able to say it once, which is why he had waited for Kaiba to arrive first. "He let me know that they got back and Jii-chan was gone, so they were going to eat while waiting for us," Yuugi started, unable to maintain eye contact with anything other than the floor. "He wanted to know when we thought we'd be home."

Kaiba nodded at Yuugi, silently prompting him to continue, which he did. "Everything was fine until…until, well…he suddenly got very nervous."

"Did he say why?" Kaiba asked, needing to know more.

"No," Yuugi answered, sounding frustrated. "I didn't understand until he reached out to me to tell me that there were two armed men trying to take Mokuba and that I needed to call you. Then he got really, _really_ angry."

When Yuugi failed to continue, Kaiba prompted him with an impatient, "And?"

"And then he called on the Millennium Puzzle even though he was too far away to use it as much as he did," Yuugi said as the tears started to spring to his eyes once more, sounding deeply concerned.

The revelation troubled Kaiba because he knew how draining that was on Yami when he was right next to it and his own anger flared at the knowledge. "Bakura?" he demanded suspiciously.

"He was still at school," Anzu told Kaiba softly, "so it wasn't him."

It confused Kaiba because he didn't understand why Yami would take such a risk with an outsider; he couldn't only imagine what went down between them. "Then who?"

"All I know was that he got really scared," Yuugi finally forced himself to say. "Borderline terrified and he told me to call you."

"And that's when you called Isono."

"Yeah, and I wanted to call you next, but—it was just, when he, when the Millennium Puzzle," Yuugi tried to say, his voice cracking a little. "He drew on the Puzzle more than he ever has before and then…then there was nothing."

"What do you mean that there was nothing after that?" Kaiba demanded harshly.

"He was worried about Mokuba and you, but then he just…I think he was knocked out."

Kaiba was beyond livid and his heart beat wildly in his chest as he thought about what had happened. He could deduce that Yami had protected Mokuba, but that still didn't explain why he was missing and Mokuba was still present. If they had been after Mokuba, why would they leave him and take Yami? It just didn't make any sense. "He didn't show you anything?"

"No," Yuugi answered, sounding miserable. "I think there were two men, but he was trying to focus on protecting Mokuba."

The resulting conflict was something that Kaiba didn't know how to process. On the one hand, Kaiba was grateful that Yami had protected Mokuba and kept him safe from the men who had been after him. But then again, the loss of Yami was an unacceptable alternative. How could he feel relieved that Mokuba was safe when Yami had been sacrificed for it? "Damn it," Kaiba swore, hating the situation and not having any further clues to go off of yet. Yes, they could run a DNA test off of Mokuba's clothes and the samples from the floor, but it was doubtful that would be enough. Then it occurred to Kaiba that there was one alternative that might lead them to an answer faster than a lab result.

Fishing his cell phone out of his pocket, Kaiba called Isono and asked, "Have you tracked the GPS information on Yami's phone yet?"

"Unfortunately, the phone was in his bag when he was taken," Isono replied, having checked that first.

Hanging up without a word, Kaiba bit down another swear at the information. He had given the phone to Yami specifically for these types of situations, even if the former pharaoh insisted it was really for alternative purposes of a deviant nature. But realistically, the attackers would have removed it from him if they knew what they were doing, so it was probably a moot point.

"So why do you think he's like this?" Kaiba asked Yuugi, gesturing down at Mokuba. "Because I'm not buying natural causes."

Biting his lip and toying with it nervously, Yuugi did his best to explain, "I think that…when Yami called on the Puzzle, I think he might have…Mokuba-kun might have been affected by it."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because I felt something that wasn't us," Yuugi replied, waiting for the fallout from Kaiba's reaction. "It was something outside of us, but just _there_ and I could feel it wasn't you, so maybe it might have been Mokuba-kun."

"But how?" Kaiba asked, shocking them all at his non-reaction to the magical angle of the events. "And how the hell do you know what I feel like?"

Blushing deeply, Yuugi couldn't meet Kaiba's gaze as he stammered, "W-when you uhm, when I was wearing the Puzzle and you've…activated it? Yeah, I felt—well, I could kinda feel your presence. I mean, not like I do Yami, I couldn't hear you, but…you were there and it just, it felt like you?"

"And when you aren't wearing it?" Kaiba demanded, hoping that his cheeks weren't reddening at the thought of what Yuugi would have felt on the days when he had experimented with Yami and their connection.

"No, then I can barely feel even him," Yuugi answered and even if it was a lie, Kaiba was still relieved to hear it.

Kaiba was about to ask another question when Mokuba began to stir on the couch, causing him to say his brother's name in the hopes that it would help him wake up from his unnatural sleep. Even though he was prepared for Mokuba's return to consciousness, it still startled Kaiba when he bolted straight up with a loud cry of, "Yami," as he scrambled to get free.

Trying to ground his brother in reality, Kaiba firmly held onto Mokuba's shoulder, but the teen continued to struggle as he kept calling out for Yami, fighting like he was trying to reach him. When Kaiba tightened his grip further, Mokuba spun around and lashed out on instinct, causing the rest of the Yuugi-tachi to startle. Kaiba caught Mokuba's fist in his hand and tried to refocus his attention, ignoring the rest of the people in the room. "Mokuba, look at me," Kaiba coached him, repeating it several times before it reached the teen in his panic who was still trying to attack with unseeing eyes.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba finally asked in a whisper that made him sound younger than his years, ceasing his attacks. When Kaiba softly confirmed, Mokuba threw himself on his older brother and started to sob in relief, because if he was there then it meant Yami would be safe.

Kaiba simply held onto his brother as he cried, running his hand soothingly across Mokuba's upper back like he used to when they were kids. "You're safe now," Kaiba told him, once again at war with his feelings of gratitude and upset over Yami's actions that allowed him to say that.

"Yami!" Mokuba exclaimed as he wiped his eyes and looked around the room, finding all of their friends except the one he wanted to see most. "Is he upstairs resting?"

For the first time Mokuba could ever remember, his older brother looked away from him as Kaiba answered, "No," in a flat voice.

It made Mokuba feel ill, because he had _never_ seen that expression on his brother's face and it could only mean one thing. "Nii-sama, where's Yami?" Mokuba demanded, his panic starting to return. "I'm still here, so he has to be!"

"We'll find him," Kaiba replied as he finally looked up at his brother once more.

"But why would they take him and not me?" Mokuba wailed, feeling overwhelmed by a guilt and grief that he didn't know how to handle. "I was the one they were after!"

"I don't know," Kaiba admitted and it felt like a horrible failing.

The answer made Mokuba burry his face in his hands and cry even harder, unaware of how much worse it made Kaiba feel to see. "I just don't get it," Mokuba whispered through his tears. "I mean, why would he do that?"

"What do you mean by that?" Kaiba asked, although he suspected it had to do with Yami's sacrifice.

"That's why he said to tell you he was sorry," Mokuba realized, staring at his older brother with a horrified look on his face as things started to click into place for him. "He knew they would take him after that!"

"After what?"

"After he made me disappear," Mokuba groaned as he finally stopped crying.

It took Kaiba a moment to process the meaning of what Mokuba was saying, but he still didn't understand. "Disappear?" Kaiba repeated in confusion, quickly glancing over at Yuugi who shrugged.

Although Kaiba didn't want to push his brother so soon after waking, Kaiba needed to know what happened from Mokuba's perspective. "Can you explain from the beginning?" Kaiba softly asked, wishing there was some other way to find out information. "Or do you want to wait until we get home?"

"No, you need to know," Mokuba firmly decided as he sat back and squared his shoulders in determination.

Kaiba stood up and repositioned himself on the couch to listen, carefully watching his brother for the unspoken details. Mokuba took a moment to collect himself and wipe away the tear tracks on his face before starting, "We were going to share one of those melons you got him, so I started to cut it up while he went to go talk to Jii-chan, but the Game Shop was closed."

"Arthur-san is in town and they were having an early dinner," Yuugi filled in, feeling a bit guilty for not yet informing his grandfather about what happened.

"Yami started eating some of the melon while I finished cutting it and I heard the door," Mokuba continued, trying to be as brief as possible while still providing the details he knew his brother would need. "They tested it before opening it and I knew that none of us would do that, so I just assumed the worse and gestured for him not to say anything."

"Wise," Kaiba complimented, proud of his brother's instincts that had developed over the years from their encounters with previous kidnappers.

"There were two of them, but they split up to cover both floors. I…I uhm, took out the first one when he came into the kitchen," Mokuba hesitantly explained, flexing his left hand as he tried not to think about the feeling or the details. It was just protecting himself and Yami, it was a necessary action, but the memory of sound made Mokuba want to retch. "We made it as far as the living room before the second guy came back downstairs."

While Mokuba took a moment to compose himself, Kaiba glanced over at Yuugi who once again shrugged as he shook his head. Yami hadn't shared enough details with him to add anything further to the conversation, so Yuugi continued listening patiently as he held onto Anzu's hand tightly to stop the shaking of his own.

"Then what?" Kaiba gently prompted, needing Mokuba to stay focused.

"He had a gun," Mokuba said flatly as he looked over to the stairs where the man had been standing. "I just kept waiting for an opening while he taunted us, but when he threatened Yami, I, nii-sama, I couldn't just—if something happened to Yami—"

Kaiba shushed his brother's fears, mostly to spare his own from flaring up in turn. The thought of anyone pointing a gun at his younger brother or Yami made his stomach churn and his hands trembled with the need to rend the culprit in two. "I know, Mokuba," Kaiba reassured him, forcing his disciplined mind not to think too deeply about it.

Mokuba's laugh came out a choked sob as he agreed, "Yeah, I guess you would." He was embarrassing himself with his open display of emotions in front of so many people, but they were his friends and he owed it to them to finish his story, so he bolstered his resolve and tried to persevere. "I threw my…weapon down and thought if I could get him to take me to the van outside, then I could escape without harm coming to Yami. I mean, there isn't a vehicle made that I can't break out of, but…"

Kaiba knew his training methods had always been a bit unorthodox, but given the frequency of Mokuba ended up in the trunk of someone's car, it had made sense to practice how to escape. "But they went after Yami?" Kaiba guessed, his rage flaring dangerously in his soul.

"No, I think Yami went after them," Mokuba corrected his brother, sounding miserable as he buried his head in his hands once more. "There were shadows everywhere and when he looked at me—"

"He had the Millennium Eye on his forehead?" Yuugi interrupted to ask, assuming that's when Yami started to draw on his powers.

"More than that," Mokuba replied. "I've never seen the gold in his actual eyes before."

_Neither have I_, Kaiba realized and it was as disquieting as it was intriguing. It sounded beautiful and dangerous, but it was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts.

"And then he reached out to me," Mokuba continued, finally looking up as he wiped away the tears again. "I was here and then I wasn't."

"What do you mean by that?" Kaiba questioned, wondering if it tied back into Mokuba's earlier claim that Yami had made him disappear.

"I mean I was standing in this room one second and the next minute I was in a foggy graveyard," Mokuba replied, feeling foolish for even saying such a thing. His brother was going to think the stress of the attack had got to him, especially when he started revealing more details.

"He sent you to the Shadow Realm?" Yuugi and Kaiba exclaimed at the same time, shocking the other people in the room.

Jounouchi had been holding his silence throughout the exchange, but he had to know, "Isn't that the place where Bakura used to send people?"

"And Marik," Yuugi confirmed, shivering as he realized what had caused the massive flare in power he had felt from Yami.

"He sent you to the Shadow Realm," Kaiba repeated, trying to wrap his mind around the concept. He had been there himself during one of his early Punishment Games with Yami and it was the stuff that had caused Kaiba to suffer nightmares for years. "He seriously sent you to the _Shadow Realm_?"

"There were horrible noises, just screams and growls and I don't even know what else," Mokuba answered with a shudder at the memory. "But Yami told me not to move and then Osiris—"

"_What_?" Kaiba exploded, unable to control his reaction and feeling instantly guilty at making Mokuba flinch. "You're telling me Yami summoned Osiris in the Shadow Realm?"

Mokuba didn't know if Yami had summoned Osiris or not, but it made sense to him that the former pharaoh would have something to do with his appearance. "Osiris said he would protect me and then he started firing at all of the other monsters and things that tried to attack me."

Kaiba had no way of knowing if Osiris attacks drew power from Yami, but it troubled him deeply. "And then?" Kaiba prompted once more, trying to make an effort to control further outburst.

"I heard him say, 'Tell your brother I'm sorry,' and then there was nothing," Mokuba miserably concluded his story. "I don't know what happened after that, sorry."

"We came home and found you unconscious on Yami's bedroom floor," Anzu told him, squeezing Yuugi's hand tightly for support when she heard him start to sniffle again.

The news confused Mokuba further because he had disappeared from the living room and woken up there, so it made no sense. "How the hell did I get up there?" Mokuba wondered, looking at Yuugi for an answer.

"I think he used the last of his energy to transport you upstairs so they wouldn't find you," Yuugi explained after taking a shuddering breath.

"Can he even do that? Mokuba asked, never having heard of such a thing outside of movies before.

"I guess so," Yuugi answered softly as he smiled at Mokuba in the hopes it would reassure him somehow. "He'd do anything to keep you safe, Mokuba-kun."

A bubble of rage boiled over in Mokuba as he shot back, "That doesn't mean sacrificing himself at my expense! And now they've seen what he can do, so they're probably going to turn him into a science experiment or something—"

"Mokuba," Kaiba sharply called out to his brother, trying to get control of his attention. "We'll find him, so—"

"They're going to want that raw power for themselves, nii-sama," Mokuba insisted, having been both awed and frightened by the display.

"They can't have him," Kaiba growled, clenching his fist tightly at his side in his anger.

"But they do have him! They have him right now!" Mokuba yelled, instantly recoiling from his own reaction. "I'm sorry, nii-sama, I shouldn't have—"

It hurt to hear, but Kaiba pushed aside his own reaction to focus on his brother. "We'll get him back, Mokuba."

Rather than replying to his brother's oath, Mokuba looked at Yuugi and apologized, "Yuugi, I'm sorry, I should have—"

"You can't blame yourself, Mokuba-kun," Yuugi said with a smile braver than he felt. "He wouldn't want you to."

It was true, but Mokuba couldn't help but assume fault in the situation. He was the reason Yami wasn't there and it was eating him up inside with guilt. "I'm so sorry," Mokuba whispered as he looked down at the floor with a heavy sigh and tried not to cry again.

* * *

**A/N:** A nice long chapter for you this time around, hopefully an enjoyable one despite heaviness of the situation.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_"You better have an answer other than, 'I don't know,' the next time I see you or you're all fucking fired," Kaiba threatened as his parting shot before ending the call and storming out of the room with Isono in tow. He was fuming without an outlet and Kaiba tightened his hands into fists as he tried to ground himself. Getting angry wasn't going to bring Yami back any faster, but it sure as hell was better than the alternative emotions that were clamoring for their place._

Next chapter goes up on **Sunday, November 14th**, where we get some more interactions between the brothers.


	4. Chapter 04: Simmering Regret

**Chapter 04: Simmering Regret  
**

The trip back to the mansion had been almost painfully silent and Mokuba began to fidget halfway home. His older brother had seemed very calm and collected for the most part, but Mokuba knew Kaiba better than that. Something was out of his control and when it was impacting Yami, Mokuba just knew that his older brother would be seething inside as he plotted out what to do. The whole thing made him feel the ridiculous need to apologize for not being the one kidnapped, but he couldn't help but know he had a better chance of escaping than Yami.

Mokuba knew that people still saw him as Kaiba's younger brother, but that didn't mean he was powerless. He had training for those types of situations and if Yami had just trusted in him, things would have turned out a lot differently. If Yami had just let Mokuba protect himself, then they both would be home and his brother wouldn't be so upset about everything. But at the same time, Mokuba couldn't disrespect Yami's actions; he understood why the older teen had acted the way he did, but it was frustrating.

The whole thing made Mokuba feel like a kid again and he hated it. He hated feeling like a powerless child that could do nothing other than be a pawn in a larger game that was designed to hurt his brother. His training had made him feel confident in his abilities, but now the self-doubt was starting to creep in along with the fear that he knew would haunt him until Yami returned.

Although Kaiba was maintaining a verbal silence, his mind was roaring in outrage at what had happened—at what _was_ happening. Someone had taken Yami from him and he had no idea who did it or why, let alone where to find him. He could only hope that there was a ransom note waiting for him back at the mansion, but even that was a small comfort. It would mean a whole new dilemma, because then the kidnappers would have a value of Yami's life to him and that was dangerous information.

Kaiba needed more details, but he didn't want to push his brother too far in his trauma. He knew that his younger brother would be okay, but he needed time to process the events and then Kaiba could talk with him rationally about it without Mokuba's emotions clouding his memory. Kaiba wanted to give his younger brother all the time that he needed, but there was only so long that he could delay without having repercussions for Yami.

It was infuriating to know that Yami had once again sacrificed himself for the good of another; it made him burn with the indignation that the former pharaoh thought so little of himself that he even considered that an option. He never should have overextended himself using his powers and the fact that Yami had yet to regain consciousness was deeply troubling to Kaiba. Old fears started to come to the surface, but Kaiba stubbornly pushed them back down and ignored the feeling of dread that was starting to creep over him. Yuugi had strict orders to call him the moment he felt Yami start to stir, whether it was in the middle of class or the dead of night. Kaiba had to know, had to have an answer about whether or not Yami was harmed during the kidnapping; if there was even so much as a scratch on him, they would pay dearly for it and then some.

The whole thing was making Kaiba sick with a worry he wasn't used to feeling anymore, a nervousness that no one other than Mokuba had ever been capable of invoking in him. He was staying above the denial that normally was so comforting, but Kaiba knew how easy it was to slide back into old behaviors. Kaiba had always been a man of action, but there was nothing that could be done now except wait for information. The idleness was not something Kaiba dealt well with on a normal day, let alone when Yami's safety was at risk.

After they arrived home, Mokuba finally broke the silence as he asked, "Can I take a shower while you talk with Isono?"

"Of course," Kaiba agreed, wondering if he should be concerned by Mokuba asking permission for such a thing.

"Will you—?" Mokuba started to ask, but cut himself off with a frown. He felt bad asking for anything under the circumstances, but Mokuba couldn't quash his need to be near his older brother.

"I'll come tell you what Isono found out," Kaiba said, assuming that was what Mokuba wanted.

"Thanks," Mokuba said as they entered the house and parted ways. As much as he wanted to hear from Isono directly, the need to wash the evidence of his afternoon away trumped everything else.

* * *

"What do you mean _nothing_?" Kaiba yelled at his team as he slammed his fist down on the table, causing several members to jump in fear despite being on the other end of a video teleconference. "You've had hours! How could you still know nothing?"

The first person who attempted to speak got such a scathing glare that he lapsed into silence, not brave enough to continue. It took moments of bolstering the spirit before another man said, "Sir, we're awaiting the test results from the lab and—"

"And so you're just sitting around with your heads up your asses in the meantime? Is that it?" Kaiba snapped, barely keeping control over his need to lash out over the incompetence.

"Seto-sama, if I may?" Isono interrupted, gesturing toward the door for them to leave.

"You better have an answer other than, 'I don't know,' the next time I see you or you're all fucking fired," Kaiba threatened as his parting shot before ending the call and storming out of the room with Isono in tow. He was fuming without an outlet and Kaiba tightened his hands into fists as he tried to ground himself. Getting angry wasn't going to bring Yami back any faster, but it sure as hell was better than the alternative emotions that were clamoring for their place.

Isono led the way to the kitchen and Kaiba was surprised to see Mokuba sitting at the counter, staring morosely into a bowl of soup. It made Kaiba feel bad to see his younger brother jump at their sudden arrival and Kaiba asked, "I thought you were taking a shower?"

"They told me I had to eat," Mokuba muttered, nudging the bowl for emphasis and watching the soup splash up the side walls.

"Eat what you can," Kaiba compromised, knowing that food was the last thing on their mind.

Smirking half-heartedly, Mokuba pointed to another bowl and said, "They made some for you, too."

Kaiba had zero desire to eat anything, but he knew he had to set an example for Mokuba. Grateful that his staff had the foresight to make something light, Kaiba forced himself to drink the soup, eating the tofu even though it sat like bricks on his stomach. The thought immediately made him wonder what would happen to Yami, if the kidnappers would feed him as much as they should.

Mokuba followed suit and finished it as quickly as possible so he could escape up to his shower. Kaiba watched him go before turning to Isono and demanding, "Tell me what you've found out."

"We're trying to get security cameras in the area for the license plate number," Isono began to explain, although he knew his boss was going to be less than satisfied. "As you know, we're running blood from Mokuba-sama's jacket to try and get an ID on the culprit. The labs are having a difficult time finding a match, but they are working around the clock to get an answer for you, Seto-sama."

"Fine," Kaiba muttered as he started to do the dishes, just to have an excuse to do something with his hands. It was a task he could accomplish, a problem he could easily fix. However, it made him notice how badly his hands were shaking and he gripped the edge of the sink tightly as he tried to get control of himself. "Tell me just one thing—anything—that you've discovered."

"We believe there was a third man involved," Isono told his boss, trying to soften the truth with his tone without effect.

Kaiba hung his head at the information as the situation suddenly became more complicated. "What makes you believe that?"

"There were no traces of a bloodied body being dragged," Isono explained, "so we think it was more than one man alone could handle, especially in addition to the quick clean up performed."

"Makes sense," Kaiba begrudgingly admitted, realizing that with one down and the other man at bay, the presence of a third attacker taking Yami out was a logical outcome. "Not that any of this makes any fucking sense, but…"

"We'll find him, Seto-sama," Isono reassured with a conviction that Kaiba was trying desperately to hold on to.

It went without saying, so Kaiba left with nothing more than a nod at Isono as he went upstairs.

* * *

Even though Kaiba wanted to take a shower, he did nothing more than change his clothes. He couldn't handle being in his shower that Yami so often used, being in the room where Yami should have been at that very moment. After changing into his night clothes that he never had occasion to wear when Yami was over, Kaiba walked down the hall to his brother's room and wasn't surprised to see the door open and Mokuba sitting on his bed, looking rather despondent.

Mokuba looked up at Kaiba with such hopeful eyes that it made it all the harder to tell him, "They're still waiting on the lab results and all they can tell me is that they suspect there was a third party involved."

It wasn't what Mokuba wanted to hear, but he tried not to let it reflect in his expression. "The driver?" he asked, wondering what he had to do with anything. "The guy said they had backup waiting for them outside."

"It might have been," Kaiba admitted with a shrug, "but we have no way of knowing yet."

"So nothing on Yami?" Mokuba hesitantly asked, his heart starting to sink.

"Not yet," Kaiba replied, hating himself for the answer.

Silence once more descended upon the brothers, Kaiba patiently standing and waiting for Mokuba to continue. After a while, Mokuba finally requested, "Could you…can we talk?"

Walking over to Mokuba's bed and sitting on the corner of it, Kaiba made himself comfortable while he waited for his younger brother to talk. Once again, it took Mokuba a bit of mental preparation to gain the confidence to ask, "I'm not going to get in trouble, am I?"

"Why would you be in trouble?" Kaiba wanted to know, failing to see why Mokuba would feel that way.

"Because I seriously hurt that guy," Mokuba replied, looking down at his hands that had been stained with blood.

"He shouldn't have tried to come after you," Kaiba cruelly answered, knowing he would have done far worse to the man if he had been there to stop the attack. Then again, if he had been there…no, Kaiba had to stop thinking that way, but it was so hard when he knew his presence could have made the difference between Yami still being safe.

Flexing his fingers as he remembered the force of impact, Mokuba admitted, "Nii-sama, I might have killed him."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I stabbed him in the stomach," Mokuba answered, the bile once again rising in the back of his throat. He wasn't proud of his actions, but he had just wanted to keep Yami safe and get them out of there before the other guy returned. "There was just so much blood…"

The news was genuinely disturbing to Kaiba; he hadn't realized it had been such a serious attack. "You did what you had to do, Mokuba," Kaiba reassured him, placing no blame on his brother for his actions.

"But it still wasn't enough," Mokuba whispered as the tears started to well up in his eyes. "I did something that horrible and they still got Yami."

"And we'll make them pay," Kaiba swore to his brother, but it didn't stop Mokuba's tears from falling.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Mokuba apologized as he failed to hold back his sobs.

"Don't blame yourself," Kaiba ordered, his voice sounding harsher than he meant it to.

As much as Mokuba wanted to obey his brother, he couldn't do so because he _knew_ he was the one to blame. "You don't understand," Mokuba said as he did his best to at least try and tone down his emotionality that he knew his older brother hated. "Yami wanted to come here, but I was the one who insisted we go back to the Game Shop."

"Why would Yami want to come here?"

Too caught up in his own story, Mokuba failed to hear his brother's question as he continued to ramble, "If I had just listened to him and come here, security would have—Yami never would have—"

"If it hadn't been today, then it might have been tomorrow," Kaiba pointed out, knowing that the kidnappers had probably been planning the attack for some time, making allowances for variables.

It was little comfort to Mokuba to hear such a thing, even though he knew it to be true. He was just working himself up further, so Mokuba tried to take a moment to calm himself as he asked his brother with a sniffle, "How did you know about the Shadow Realm?"

"I've been there before," Kaiba told him, but explained no further details on the circumstances. "It's a horrible, unsafe place."

"Did Osiris protect you, too?"

Shaking his head, Kaiba said, "No, he didn't have Osiris yet," and was secretly grateful, because he had no idea how the embodiment of the god card would have punished him back then.

"It's weird," Mokuba admitted after a long pause. "Sometimes I forget how powerful he used to be—how powerful he still is."

Nodding in understanding, Kaiba said, "I know what you mean," and he couldn't help but wish he had seen the display of power, even though he would have wanted to stop it before it got out of control and left Yami weakened. "But you should try and get some sleep."

Sleep was the last thing Mokuba wanted to do; he knew that the dreams that would haunt him every time he closed his eyes. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

Even though Kaiba wanted to let Mokuba do as he wished, he knew it was important for Mokuba to go to school. If he stayed at the house by himself, he would wallow in his guilt and grief, which would only make things worse. There was always a chance if he went to school, it might draw the kidnappers back out to try for their real target. It would mean Kaiba's team could trace Mokuba and find Yami that way, but it was both risky and an uncertain outcome. "You should," Kaiba finally replied, but he wouldn't force his brother.

"I'll try," Mokuba said, wanting to wait to see how he felt in the morning. "Nii-sama?"

Gesturing for Mokuba to lay down and make himself comfortable, Kaiba promised, "I'll stay here until you're asleep."

Even though it made Mokuba feel like a little kid, it was a huge relief to hear; he felt safer with his brother around to protect him. "Thanks," Mokuba mumbled as he complied.

Kaiba shut off the light before lying down on his side, reassured by the sound of Mokuba's breathing. His brother's safety had always been his number one priority—something that Yami was well aware of and he sought to protect. But Kaiba was torn, because having Yami taken away from him, possibly hurt, and with no clues to immediately act on, it was a feeling as terrible as Mokuba being kidnapped from him. Kaiba never though there would be a day where he would be grateful for the telepathic connection between Yami and Yuugi, but it was a relief to have knowledge through that link, even if it was devastating to not know through their shared connection if the former pharaoh was okay or not. It worried Kaiba endlessly and the whole thing made him into a mess of emotions that was hard to suppress.

Telling himself that they would find Yami tomorrow, Kaiba tried to at least calm his nerves as he rested, knowing that he wouldn't sleep until his boyfriend was back where he belonged.

* * *

**A/N:** I know a lot of you want answers about Yami, but since this fic is primarily from Kaiba's point of view, I'm trying to recreate his pressure and stress of not knowing for the reader. Perhaps it's a bit cruel of me, but it seems like the tension is coming through, which means I'm doing it right. Having said that, details will start trickling through, as you can see from the upcoming preview.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Yuugi felt Yami's mind finally solidify in focus as all of his thoughts turned toward Mokuba. He tried to reassure Yami that Mokuba was safe and once it was finally acknowledged, the pain abated slightly, but Yuugi's skull still felt like it was going to split in half at any moment._

As per usual, next chapter goes up on **Sunday, November 21st**, so please check back then for a nice long chapter with some progress on those answers you want. Until then, I look forward to hearing your reactions on this chapter.


	5. Chapter 05: Accountability

**Chapter 05: Accountability**

"How can you _still _have no information?" Kaiba demanded, his eyes blazing in his anger. It had been a full twenty-four hours since Yami had been taken and Kaiba's team had yet to give him a single definitive answer or clue to go off of on Yami's whereabouts. His patience had run out yesterday and now they were on his last nerve.

"The blood samples we retrieved have no match with anyone in criminal databases both here and abroad," Isono explained, having opted to take the position of informant before another employee quit because of Kaiba's temper. "The plates on the van we suspected came back stolen and we're at an impasse until we get either a phone call or a ransom note from the culprits."

Kaiba was seething with a near blinding rage, but he tried to control it; he wasn't mad at Isono, the man who had given him nothing but respect and loyalty over the long years of service. He didn't want to take it out on Isono, but it was so damn hard to suppress the anger and frustration that were building inside of him over the lack of answers. Kaiba was a man of action and when he was forced into inaction, it was particularly difficult. "That's not acceptable," Kaiba growled, holding tightly onto the edge of his desk too hide the tremble in his hands that had only worsened as the hours grew longer and the distance from Yami worsened.

"I am aware of that, Seto-sama, but it is the present situation," Isono respectfully stated with a bow, waiting for the fall out that would inevitably come.

"What about Ogata?" Kaiba demanded. "Surely that asshole had to have found something that everyone missed."

"He is still following his gut, as he says," Isono replied, knowing that answer would also be less than satisfactory to his boss.

"He better find something soon or I'm disemboweling him for 'following his gut,'" Kaiba threatened, half-tempted to call up the man in question to get some answers. He refrained, mostly because he didn't want to talk to Ogata and deal with his bullshit banter. Plus, Ogata would seek him out once he found something, so it was just best to let the man do his job.

Bowing in acknowledgement, Isono maintained his silence and awaited orders. "How is Mokuba?" Kaiba finally asked, wanting to ask a question that at least someone could answer.

"He is currently at the Game Shop with the rest of the Yuugi-tachi, keeping up the appearance of normality in the event the kidnappers are still watching," Isono replied. "We have extra security discretely watching the house to keep track of all vehicles and people in the area."

"Anything else?" Kaiba asked, since that was the best he was going to get for now.

"No, Seto-sama."

"Dismissed," Kaiba said, not moving until Isono had left the room.

Only then did Kaiba allow himself to sag into the comforts of his chair and let the weary sigh escape from him that he had been holding back for so long. He didn't understand why the kidnappers had yet to make their move; there had been no ransom note, no calls, nothing. It was stressful, but Kaiba was trying to keep himself in control—not that he was doing a very good job of that. His behavior was downright deplorable and Kaiba knew that his snarling temper was shameful, but without answers, there was nothing but rage and the faintest trace of fear gnawing at him.

It hadn't been helped by his earlier encounter with Mokuba in the main game room, either. Mokuba had been curled up against the wall, staring at the large dueling platforms with vacant eyes that had disturbed Kaiba. He had tried so hard to keep Mokuba from ever feeling anything to make him look like that and it galled him to know that his lack of protection and Yami's actions were what had caused it. "We were supposed to duel today," Mokuba had finally whispered before bursting into tears again, unable to cope with his guilt and grief in any other way.

The sight had pained Kaiba and caused his own guilt to start trying to claw its way to the surface, his normal defenses weakened by the high stress and lack of sleep and answers. If he had provided the Mutou's more security, if he had acted quicker, if he had been there—the list just continued endlessly with regrets. That in turn angered him, the humiliation of his own reactions fueling the rage further. He was a mass of anger and loathing and he had given himself a headache from the way he had been clenching his teeth as he struggled to hold everything at bay. He wanted to worry about Mokuba's reaction—and he was—but his thoughts kept returning to Yami and his condition. To his knowledge, Yami was still unconscious and that was deeply troubling to Kaiba. When he started hearing whispers of doubts about whether or not Yami would regain consciousness, it made Kaiba want to lash out and hit something, preferably hard and repeatedly. He could feel his anger like a tangible thing under his skin, just seething and waiting for an outlet, ready to lash out over the slightest infraction.

It was made all the more perturbing because it forced Kaiba to realize how long it had been since he had been so worked up and it was a shock to realize this had previously been his normal mode of operation in life. He hadn't realized how much calmer and more stable he had become because of having Yami in his life and it would have freaked him out in another circumstance; it was intimidating to realize how much of his core character had been changed because of one person's positive existence. But not even that could hold back the thoughts of betrayal, of hurt, of hatred that the few things he valued were always taken from him. Mokuba, his company, and now Yami—it was unacceptable. He realized that if the incident had happened at any other time, it would have put distance between them as the fear over having someone be so important to him, to have someone who was a liability to his emotional state. But now? Kaiba didn't give a damn about any of it, he just wanted Yami back.

And it wasn't just to stop the guilt over not kissing Yami yesterday or making enough time to see each other, either. It wasn't just because he missed having Yami in his bed or in his arms. It just made Kaiba want to hold Yami tightly and burry his face against that tri-color hair as he breathed him in, as he basked in the solidity of his existence and presence. He had already moved past the point of shock over wanting to do nothing more than hold Yami, to know in that moment Yami would be safe once more. He felt a painful ache inside of him that made his head pound harder with the stress and no amount of medication could help make it go away.

He was mercifully interrupted by his phone ringing and he stared at it, wishing for one feverous second that Yami would be on the other line to tell him that he had escaped, that it was the kidnappers telling him their terms for release, that it would be his team calling to let him know that they had found out who had took him. Instead, it was his secretary asking, "Permission to enter, Seto-sama?"

"Granted," Kaiba consented after biting back his first angry refusal. She never asked to come into his office without a damn good reason and he didn't want to find a new secretary.

The woman entered with a bow and stood before him, her hands gracefully folded in front of her. She was as efficient as she was polite and unfailingly loyal to him; she had foiled more than one takeover and he saw to it that she was well taken care of as a result. More than that, she put up with his anger and unreasonable demands without a single word of complaint or even a wrinkle of an eyebrow in irritation; he honestly didn't know how she managed. "Yes?"

"Forgive my presumptuousness, but would you like me to reschedule the remainder of your appointments?" she asked before finally making eye contact with him.

His initial reaction was to throw her out and tell her that if he wanted his schedule altered, he would take care of it himself. Instead, he tried to be rational about it and realistically, he was accomplishing nothing at the office other than lowering employee morale because of his shitty attitude. Rubbing his forehead as if that would help rid him of his headache or help make his decision, Kaiba was tempted to accept just to get the hell out of there and go do something more productive with his time that might help find Yami. Shutting down his computer and standing up to leave, Kaiba realized how was strange it was that Yami had apparently crossed into a family emergency category that Kaiba had never noticed, but he just didn't have the energy to think about it further.

"I will send you an updated schedule later this evening when everything is rearranged," she told him with another bow, shocked at how easily he had given in to her suggestion. Especially since the last person who had dared to say such a thing to him had been fired.

"That is acceptable," Kaiba decided with a nod as he packed up his things.

"I'll see to it, Seto-sama," she said with a final bow before leaving him to finish.

* * *

Surrounded by the Yuugi-tachi, Kaiba couldn't help but feel that he had made the wrong choice somewhere along the way. He had wanted to collect his brother and go, but Mokuba wasn't ready to leave and Kaiba wasn't about to force the issue. It was the first time he had seen Mokuba crack a smile or try to laugh since the incident happened and that was worth it—at least until Jounouchi started braying about something. He recognized that Jounouchi was being even more bombastic than usual in an attempt to lighten the serious mood that had fallen over them, but it was still annoying as hell to have to sit through without having Yami on his lap to help distract him from the nonsense.

It felt weird to be in the house, knowing that Yami wasn't anywhere in it. He felt the wrongness in his very bones, but that didn't stop his mind from foolishly expecting Yami to come downstairs or through the door at any moment. The question of who had done it was fading in importance as the question of where Yami was took precedence. It was starting to become too much, so Kaiba abruptly walked away and stepped outside as if he had to take a phone call. He just needed air, needed to get a moment of silence, needed time to collect himself before he reacted in a regrettable manner.

It was a somewhat worthless exercise, because the only thing that would calm him was information about Yami's whereabouts and his return. Everything kept coming back to that and it was driving Kaiba insane, because there was nothing he could do until the kidnappers acted. He didn't like feeling so miserable, didn't like how it all ultimately translated to anger, and his exhaustion was making it all the worse.

Kaiba felt stuck, because he couldn't stand the silence any longer, but he didn't want to return to the living room and listen to Jounouchi domineer an idiotic conversation. Listening to the silence wasn't much better, so Kaiba decided to take action and accountability in a way that he had avoided thus far.

Squaring his shoulders, Kaiba walked to the main Game Shop entrance and entered, finding Sugoroku sitting behind the counter, thumbing through a magazine like it was just a normal day. He looked up as the bells tinkled against the door and smiled at Kaiba, making the teen feel even worse. It rendered him mute as he walked closer, even though he wanted to make a break for the door; he would be willing to admit it might have been a mistake to confront the grandfather if it weren't so cowardly to run away.

"You look troubled, Kaiba-kun," Sugoroku said with a fondness that the teen didn't understand.

"How could I not be?" Kaiba muttered, looking away in the guise of pretending to see something on a shelf to the side of the room.

"I'd be worried if you weren't," the older man said with a laugh that almost sounded jolly, but Kaiba could hear the undercurrent of tension in his tone.

Finally looking back at Sugoroku, Kaiba said, "You should be anyway."

The attempt at playful normality faded away at those words and Sugoroku studied the teen carefully as he asked, "No new information, then?"

"I'm sorry," Kaiba apologized, looking down at the floor in his shame. "I never meant for Yami to get involved in anything like this."

"I know," Sugoroku said, having been briefed by Yuugi the day before on what had happened. "But I also know that you'll stop at nothing to get him back."

"Absolutely," Kaiba vehemently agreed, "I won't rest until he's back."

Smiling sadly at the teen, Sugoroku couldn't stop himself from parenting as he gently said, "You still need to sleep, Kaiba-kun."

"How can I sleep when I know he's still out there?" Kaiba demanded, his voice coming out harsher than he meant for it to. "How can I rest when I know there's something I could be doing to find him and get him back?"

"Because even kidnappers need sleep," Sugoroku pointed out, hoping that it would make sense to Kaiba on some level. "Take care of yourself so you can take care of him when he gets back."

"I'm sorry," Kaiba repeated once more, looking the old man in the eyes to convey his sincerity.

Smiling kindly at the tortured teen, Sugoroku reassured him, "I'm not blaming you, Kaiba-kun."

The words made Kaiba feel as if a little bit of the pressure inside of him was relieved at the words, but he was startled when Sugoroku continued, "I trust you and I know you'll bring him back."

"How can you trust me?" Kaiba wondered, knowing that if anyone had reason to distrust him, it would be the old man.

"Because he does," Sugoroku simply said, as if it was the most logical answer. "That's enough for me."

"I don't know how," Kaiba muttered, feeling like the trust was somehow misplaced. After all, Yami had trusted him to keep him safe, but Kaiba had failed him.

"Try trusting yourself," Sugoroku counseled, hoping that the talk had helped the teen in some way.

The whole conversation was making Kaiba exceedingly uncomfortable and it was times like this that he wondered how it was possible for Yami and Sugoroku to not actually be related; they were so similar at times and it was clear to see the connection to Yuugi. "Mm," was the only answer Kaiba had left to give and with that, he took his leave.

* * *

When Kaiba stepped back into the home portion of the Game Shop, the first thing he heard was Jounouchi's brash voice and it made him grit his teeth. Although it felt like weakness, Kaiba admitted to himself that he just couldn't handle Jounouchi on top of everything. The only positive thing about it was that all attention was on Jounouchi, so Kaiba took advantage of the group's distraction and stealthily kept to the perimeter of the room, hoping that he could miraculously make it upstairs without anyone noticing him.

Kaiba got as far as three stairs up before Jounouchi's voice ruined everything by exclaiming, "Whoa, how the hell did you get over there?"

"I walked," Kaiba dryly replied as he continued going up the stairs, ignoring whatever questions followed.

There was only one place left where Kaiba could take refuge, but it was hardly a haven for him under the circumstances. Slipping into Yami's room and shutting the door, Kaiba stood in the middle of the room and looked around with a frown. There was slim hope that Yami had left a clue in his room that they might have previously overlooked, but if there was anything, Kaiba was going to find it.

But his eyes searched blindly as he felt a tightness in his chest, a crushing pain that he was trying and failing to dismiss. He didn't understand why Yami wasn't here, why there had been zero progress in finding the people responsible. It could be anyone from former members of the Big Five to Marik and another one of his plots to capture the pharaoh, but there had to be some connecting evidence that would give them a lead in some direction—in _any_ direction. Kaiba didn't want to be alone in Yami's room, didn't want to be in the house when Yami wasn't in it, but there was nowhere else.

When the door opened, Kaiba turned and half-expected to see Yami enter, but it was only Yuugi. Trying to mask his disappointment, Kaiba looked at him critically and realized how pale Yuugi was, could see the shaking of his small body and the fine line of sweat on his forehead as he tried to walk closer. Before Kaiba could ask what was wrong, Yuugi's legs gave out and he started to collapse to the floor. Acting reflexively, Kaiba caught Yuugi before he fell and looked down at him with concern, his voice rough as he demanded, "What's going on?"

"He's awake," Yuugi rasped as Kaiba helped guide him to sit on the floor.

While Kaiba wanted to be happy about the news, Yuugi's reaction had him too worried for such a reaction. "What's wrong?" Kaiba prompted as he sat next to Yuugi.

"His head hurts," he whimpered, feeling the full brunt of it since Yami hadn't filtered his end of their connection and Yuugi was too scared to. "He thinks he's fine, but he's…confused?"

"Do you need medicine?" Kaiba suggested, his concern growing as Yuugi subconsciously started rocking back and forth as he cradled his head in his hands, trying to futilely stop the pain.

"No," Yuugi refused as he continued trying to reach out to Yami from his end and help in whatever way he could. Yuugi felt Yami's mind finally solidify in focus as all of his thoughts turned toward Mokuba. He tried to reassure Yami that Mokuba was safe and once it was finally acknowledged, the pain abated slightly, but Yuugi's skull still felt like it was going to split in half at any moment.

Finally Yuugi heard words from Yami's end, disjointed thoughts in a language beyond him that forced him to repeat them phonetically to Kaiba in the hopes he understood. Although Yuugi's pronunciation was a bit rough, Kaiba managed to piece together that Yami was trying to get answers about him and Mokuba's safety. "Tell him that we're unharmed," Kaiba instructed, hoping it would somehow get through, "and we're going to get him back."

Yuugi did as he was told, once again feeling the gratitude from Yami's end at knowing his actions hadn't been in vain. There was a final thought that Yami passed along that Yuugi managed to whisper before he slipped into unconsciousness as the former pharaoh did the same. Kaiba caught Yuugi as he slumped over, the echo of ancient words saying, "I know," still resonating through him.

It was progress, but Kaiba was troubled by what he had witnessed; if Yuugi was reflecting Yami's condition, there was no more time for delays. Kaiba needed answers, needed something to go off of to help find Yami, but it was clear that neither him nor Yuugi were in any shape to provide them at the moment. He couldn't do anything to help Yami right now, but Kaiba could still help Yuugi. Picking up the smaller teen, Kaiba walked over to Yuugi's room and put him on the bed. He had no idea how long Yuugi was going to be asleep, but something told him it was going to be some time before he regained consciousness.

What was unclear is if Yuugi collapsed under the strain of his pain or if he passed out in an attempt to reach Yami through the other side of the connection. Yuugi was breathing heavily and Kaiba quickly tried to figure out what the best course of action was. He felt like he needed to do more than just make Yuugi comfortable on a bed, but he was just so far out of his element; Yami had never been like this, so Kaiba had no frame of reference on what to do.

Reaching into Yuugi's jacket pocket, Kaiba pulled out his cellphone and called the only person who might have the slightest clue as what to do. "Yes?" Anzu answered uncertainly, trying to shush Jounouchi and Honda who were fighting.

"Come up here alone," Kaiba instructed her, wasting no time with formalities. Before Kaiba could say anything further, he heard her tell the rest of the group she had to go help Yuugi with something and for them to stay there; the perverse laughs and cat calls guaranteed they weren't going to be disturbed. It was more than Kaiba wanted to listen to, so he hung up, knowing she was on her way.

Moments later, she entered the room and shut the door behind her as she walked over to where Kaiba was standing and looking down at Yuugi. "What's going on?" she quietly asked, her voice free from the accusation that every other member of the Yuugi-tachi would have used.

"He heard from Yami," Kaiba started to explain, the need for information trumping his normal shame of discussing the fantastical.

"That's why he rushed upstairs," Anzu realized, making the assumption that Yuugi had gone to find Kaiba first.

Nodding in confirmation, Kaiba continued, "I don't know if he passed out from the pain or from trying to reach Yami on a different level of their connection."

Walking over to Yuugi's bed and sitting down at his side, Anzu took out her handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her boyfriend's forehead. The absolute lack of reaction made her decide, "I think he's with Yami."

"What makes you say that?" Kaiba demanded, surprised at his own reaction of trying to stay quiet so as not to disturb Yuugi's rest.

"Because he's a light enough sleeper that he would at least grumble over what I just did and try to turn over," she answered with the slightest upturn of a smile at the corner of her mouth. "He only got like this when he was with Yami."

"You're sure," Kaiba said, somewhat disturbed by the information.

Smiling at Kaiba, Anzu elaborated, "Yuugi was always late for school, so I would come over and help him get ready after his mom…well, I got tired of him oversleeping and used his light sleeping to my advantage on more than one occasion to scare him awake."

Arching an eyebrow at her surprise sadism, he said nothing as she continued, "Once he finished the Puzzle and started talking with Yami, they would sometimes stay in there and talk for hours, which would leave Yuugi like this. No amount of banging pans together next to his ear could wake him up from that."

"You have rather unusual methods of testing," Kaiba commented, almost finding it funny as he pictured her torturing the meek Yuugi from years ago. "So you're the reason he was as timid as a mouse?"

"Hey, I was trying to help him grow a little bit of a backbone," Anzu defended herself with a playful huff before turning serious once more. "I think he'll be fine, but he's going to be like this for at least a few hours."

While Kaiba wanted to be grateful that it might mean more information once Yuugi woke up, the whole thing had disturbed him to witness. Especially because he couldn't shake the fear of what Yami was going through. "Thanks for bringing him in here," Anzu said to Kaiba, startling him.

"What makes you think I did?" Kaiba gruffly asked, feeling uncomfortable with her gratitude.

"Because you were probably in Yami's room when Yuugi passed out," Anzu explained with a sad smile.

"I wasn't going to just leave him on the floor," Kaiba muttered, looking away from her and back down to Yuugi.

Anzu secretly thought the reaction was adorable, but she knew better than to say anything about it. "You're always taking care of everyone," Anzu commented, successfully bringing Kaiba's attention back to her. "Just don't forget to take care of yourself, okay?"

"Since when has everyone started caring about me?" Kaiba scoffed, finding it exceedingly strange that it had been expressed to him more than once in a single day.

Leaving Yuugi's side momentarily, Anzu walked over to Kaiba and said, "I know you're not comfortable with it, but we _do_ care. It's not just because of Yami, either. You may not think of us as friends, but we want to be there for you."

"There's no point since I'm going to get him back," Kaiba told her, unsure of what else to say.

"Even after he's back, it doesn't change the facts, Kaiba-kun," Anzu replied with a quiet laugh. "Just remember that you're not alone in this situation."

That was the problem, though: Kaiba _was_ alone because Yami wasn't there to be with him. Rather than replying to her, Kaiba instructed, "Call me if anything changes with him. My number is in his phone."

The latter part of Kaiba's instructions surprised her; she hadn't realized that he had done such a thing. She knew Kaiba guarded his privacy and silence, so to know he had willingly given his number out was surprising. True, it made sense under the circumstances since Yuugi was his only connection to direct news from Yami, but it was unexpected all the same. "I'll have him call when he wakes up," Anzu promised, knowing that Kaiba would rather hear from him than her.

"Thanks," Kaiba said softly before leaving them alone to go downstairs and collect Mokuba to head home.

* * *

**A/N:** There's not much to add to this one, so hopefully you enjoyed the longer chapter and the small update on Yami.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_It was then that Kaiba became aware of a presence behind him, instinctively feeling eyes studying him, and it spurred him into action. Tightening his grip on his gun as he opened his eyes, Kaiba pushed off from the table to turn around and face his enemy. His body moved without thought, the gun threateningly pointed under the man's chin before Kaiba could even process the identity. _

Although it's Thanksgiving this coming week here in the States, I will still be attempting to post on **Sunday, November 28th**. However, it's also my birthday weekend, so there may be plans afoot that will delay an update. Updates will be on my Twitter and LJ if there's a delay, but I'll do my best to avoid that. As always, thanks for your support and reviews!


	6. Chapter 06: Struggle

**Chapter 06: Struggle**

The feel of cold metal in his hands was reassuring to Kaiba as he removed the safety on his gun and began firing. Although the sound was muted through the protective headphones he was wearing, Kaiba could feel it through the recoil of his weapon after every shot that went through the target's heart. He blew through the first clip as quickly as he could pull the trigger, but it still wasn't enough for Kaiba.

Mechanically replacing the clip, Kaiba did it with the grace lent to him through years of efficient practice. Slowing his pace, Kaiba started aiming for all the vital points on the body, imagining it was whoever had taken Yami from him. Then again, that would be a merciful end to someone who deserved no such kindness or mercy. They would face the full fury of his wrath when he tracked them down and he would enjoy inflicting the pain tenfold on them—and then some, depending on what condition Kaiba found Yami in once he was recovered.

It pulled Kaiba's mind from his task and he was disgusted by the wavering of his hand, the evidence that he was more bothered by the events than he cared to admit. Replacing the safety and setting the gun down on the table with a heavy sigh, Kaiba closed his eyes and tried to get in control of his emotions once more—not that he had been very successful with that at all since Yami was taken. His world became silence and darkness, everything stabilized into the blankness of sensory deprivation. He tried to focus on that, grounding himself only with the metal in his hand that was warming to his touch and from the residual heat of action.

It was then that Kaiba became aware of a presence behind him, instinctually feeling eyes studying him and it spurred him into action. Tightening his grip on his gun as he opened his eyes, Kaiba pushed off from the table to turn around and face his enemy. His body moved without thought, the gun threateningly pointed under the man's chin before Kaiba could even process the identity. When he realized who it was, Kaiba glared hatefully as he growled, "_Ogata_," and roughly pulled off his headphones in irritation without lowering the gun.

"Well hello to you, too," Ogata responded with a laugh, pissing off Kaiba with his nonchalant reaction.

"Get. _Out_," Kaiba hissed, in no mood to put up with Ogata or how he gained access into the subbasement of his mansion.

"But I just got here," Ogata protested, pouting prettily in a way that did little to help his cause.

Removing the safety from the gun and cocking it into position, Kaiba warned, "I am _not_ in the mood for this!"

Smirking at Kaiba's attempt to be threatening, Ogata had been watching long enough to know that he was out of rounds. "Am I supposed to be threatened? You already shot your load off, Seto-chan," Ogata teased, laughing in good humor at his own perversity and trying to lighten Kaiba's mood.

Without even turning to look, Kaiba pointed his gun back toward the target and fired the one remaining shot in the chamber, startling Ogata when a bullet ripped through the target point blank in the forehead. "You were saying?" Kaiba questioned, his eyes cruel and mocking.

"Stop being so dramatic," Ogata snapped, although he was more unnerved by the display of power than he would ever admit to. Not only that, but to see the return of Kaiba's harsh unforgiving gaze that had been absent for so long was also a shock to see. It wasn't unexpected given the situation, but Ogata hadn't expected it to be leveled at him so readily. "We both know you're not going to shoot me, so just put it away."

"You better have a damn good reason for being here," Kaiba gruffly told Ogata, rather than agreeing with his assessment. Even though some days shooting Ogata sounded like a really good idea, Kaiba knew he would get more use out of the man while he was alive.

_Because I'm worried about you_, Ogata thought, but refused to say out loud for fear of Kaiba's reaction. Kaiba looked downright haggard and Ogata couldn't help but feel concerned. "You can't lock yourself away forever, Rapunzel," Ogata chose to say instead.

"You're going to make me regret not shooting you," Kaiba muttered as he turned his back on Ogata and discharged his spent clip while walking back over to the table.

For half a second, Ogata was convinced Kaiba was going to reload, but the teen merely began cleaning his weapon. Any other time Ogata would have made a slanted joke over it, but he chose not to for his own sake. Walking over to join Kaiba, Ogata was surprised when he continued speaking, "And I had no intention of staying locked away, as you said."

"It's not exactly conducive to finding him," Ogata agreed, noticing that it made Kaiba pause in his movements. "Neither is avoiding this."

"I'm avoiding _you_," Kaiba irritably corrected. "That's different."

"Either way, it's a bad decision," Ogata said, earning him yet another irritated look.

Setting the gun back in its case and throwing the headphones and protective glasses onto the table, Kaiba turned to face Ogata properly. "No, what was a bad decision was you deciding to sneak down here," Kaiba pointed out, an edge of venom in his tone. "_Especially_ if you don't have news."

It had already been two days since Yami had been kidnapped and there was still no word from the people responsible. When his team still didn't have any leads, Kaiba suggested they look into Tanaka Takeshi's security company, Shinshiro Securities. Although it had been months since the man had crashed the Duel Monsters banquet, Kaiba had never forgotten about him or the perfume laced business card he received. It wasn't much of anything to go off of, but it was better than the silence his team was providing him.

"We're still following up some leads, but we have to go slowly so as not to arouse suspicion," Ogata answered, although it was unsatisfactory to him. "That Tanaka guy's security is pretty damn impressive, I have to admit."

"Then why the hell are you here?" Kaiba demanded in exasperation, his fist clinching at his side from trying to restrain himself. He wanted answers and the longer his team delayed in finding them, the longer it meant Yami was in danger.

"Because I know you and how you get at times like this," Ogata answered with a sigh, bracing himself for the inevitable reaction. "You're already starting to take it out on your employees—"

"Who aren't doing their damn jobs properly!" Kaiba interjected, although he knew deep down his temper had been shorter than normal and his tolerance for errors was none.

"—and you're not taking care of yourself," Ogata continued, ignoring Kaiba's outburst.

Gritting his teeth and stalking over to Ogata, Kaiba jabbed him in the chest with his finger and exclaimed, "It has nothing to do with you so stay the hell out of it!"

Grabbing Kaiba's hand and pulling him into a hug that the teen fiercely fought against, Ogata softly said, "Seto, he needs you to stay strong for him—"

"Don't bring him into this!" Kaiba yelled, shoving hard against Ogata's chest in a bid for freedom. The words hurt, but not as much as the truth behind them.

"Running yourself into the ground isn't going to bring Yami back and all you're doing is making Mokuba feel even more guilty," Ogata continued, saying the words he knew Kaiba needed to hear but wasn't ready to listen to. "Let me help you."

"If you want to help me, find him!" Kaiba growled, swinging a punch at Ogata that forced the older man to release him.

"You're trying to keep this all bottled up inside and failing miserably," Ogata pointed out, watching as Kaiba continued to fume. "I'm offering to help you get it out so you can focus."

"If you're suggesting what I think you are, so help me, I will—"

Looking down at Kaiba with a sad smile, Ogata interrupted him to clarify, "Sparring, Seto. Nothing more."

"Bullshit, there's always something more with you," Kaiba accused Ogata with a harsh glare. "Why should now be any different?"

"Because I'm your friend and I'm trying to comfort you," Ogata answered with mock indignation.

"Funny, it seems more like sexual harassment from this angle," Kaiba accused him, even though he didn't really believe that to be true. There was a hint of genuine emotion and concern in Ogata's eyes and it bothered Kaiba to see almost more than the playful flirting banter he insisted on engaging in all the time.

Knowing that it was much more likely to get a result than badgering Kaiba any further into it, Ogata replied, "I'll be waiting for you at the dojo tomorrow at nine after work."

"Feel free to waste your time," Kaiba muttered, refusing to commit to anything. "Now get the fuck out!"

Holding up his hands in surrender, Ogata backed away without another word and headed for the exit. Only after the door closed did Kaiba exhale the painful sigh that had been building up inside of him. Ogata had a tendency to throw him off of his pace and that was the last thing Kaiba needed at the moment. However, Ogata's point about needing to stay strong for Yami and to not trouble his younger brother was gnawing at him with its truthfulness. "Asshole," Kaiba muttered as he resisted the urge to fire another round.

Instead, Kaiba pushed the button to bring his target closer for viewing and was satisfied to see all of his shots were still hitting true despite his distraction. For once, that failed to make Kaiba feel at ease, because what good was having impeccable aim without knowing which target he was supposed to be going after to get Yami back?

* * *

After half an hour, Kaiba decided it was time to leave the sanctuary of his shooting range and head upstairs. As he ascended the stairs, he could smell dinner being cooked and it was good enough to actually whet his appetite that had been absent since the whole incident had started. It made him head straight toward the kitchen, but what he saw waiting for him made him swear violently. Ogata was in front of the stove, stirring the contents of the pot so that it didn't scald.

"I told you to get out," Kaiba growled, not liking the lack of respect for his authority.

"I got out of the basement, but you never specified I had to leave the premises," Ogata argued, smirking at Kaiba over his shoulder before returning his attention to the food. "Consider this my peace offering."

Before Kaiba had time to respond, Mokuba's voice could be heard from the hallway as he exclaimed, "Nii-sama, dinner smells awesome!"

"That's because I'm cooking it," Ogata teased Mokuba, although he knew Kaiba was a damn fine cook.

"Ogata?" Mokuba asked in puzzlement, arching his eyebrow in the perfect imitation of his older brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure your stubborn brother is getting at least one healthy meal a day," Ogata replied, trying not to feel bad at the crestfallen look on Mokuba's face when he realized that answer meant no new information had been discovered about Yami.

Mokuba had to bite back a laugh at that, watching as his brother bristled in annoyance. "You're staying for dinner then, right?" Mokuba asked hopefully, knowing it meant for an entertaining night, something that was desperately needed in what had been an otherwise stressful time.

Ogata glanced over at Kaiba for confirmation before answering, causing the brunette to roll his eyes. "What the hell are you looking at me for?" Kaiba growled as he turned to head upstairs and get changed after a quick shower. "It's not like you'll listen to me anyway…"

Snickering at the way Kaiba gave in, Ogata continued preparing dinner and chatting with Mokuba while waiting for his return.

* * *

**A/N:** I managed the update after all! That's because I'm spoiled by you and your wonderful reviews, so consider this one a show of my gratitude. It's my birthday present to you, my dear readers.

Also, for those of you who are confused about who Tanaka is, check back to **Another Lesson, Chapters 28 and 29** for a refresher.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Feeling equal parts genius for his idea and stupid for not thinking of it sooner, Kaiba smirked at Ogata as he explained, "I know how to get some answers."_

Things are starting to move in the right direction, so check back on **Sunday, December 5th**, unless something happens with finals. As always, updates will be announced on my Twitter and LJ, but I'll do my best to keep up with everything! Reviews definitely help keep me going, so thank you for all of your encouragement!


	7. Chapter 07: Release

**Chapter 07: Release **

Walking silently into the dojo, Kaiba's only concession to the location was the removal of his shoes and socks. He refused to change into full uniform, because then that meant he would be sanctioning Ogata's decision and would make Kaiba feel like they needed to fight under the official rules. Right now, Kaiba wasn't interested in practicing forms or styles of fighting; he just wanted to beat down Ogata with one of the only forms of stress relief left to him.

"You're walking too heavily in your anger," Ogata commented as Kaiba approached, never once turning to look back at him.

Kaiba circled him, assessing his prey's stance and tensed for the first blow. "You did not hear me walking," Kaiba hissed, offended at the implied insult to his ability to hide himself. Perhaps he had not taken as good of care with the door as he should have, but there was no way Ogata had heard him coming.

"Regardless, I knew you were here," Ogata airily countered, appearing completely relaxed even as he tried to figure out what Kaiba was doing.

It annoyed him that Ogata was wearing the traditional aikidogi they used to train in, but Kaiba refused to change out of his form fitting black shirt and pants. He had never seen the point in practicing in clothes he would never be wearing under an attack, so Kaiba stuck to his principles and stayed out of Ogata's line of sight while waiting for the opportune moment.

"So are you going to attack me from behind, Seto-chan?" Ogata teased, trying to get a rise out of the teen and move him to action. The prolonged silence and stillness was unnerving, but Ogata didn't want to turn and face Kaiba just yet.

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Kaiba snapped, bristling at Ogata's resulting chuckle.

"At this point, I'd like it more if you'd—"

Ogata didn't have a chance to finish his sentence before Kaiba threw his first punch, but the older man successfully turned and blocked it. "That's more like it," Ogata complimented with a grin before dodging Kaiba's next strike.

As the blows continued to rain down on him, Ogata realized how strange it was to have Kaiba attacking so viciously from the beginning. Normally Kaiba was a tactician when he fought; if he couldn't take his opponent out with the first strike, then he waited for them to show their weaknesses so he could act efficiently and gain his win. However, Kaiba wasn't waiting for anything, he was just lashing out in pure, smoldering rage. It was why Ogata was startled when Kaiba yelled at him, "Stop dodging me and fight, you bastard!"

"Yes, sir," Ogata purred and then went on the offensive. Whereas Kaiba had been focusing mostly on punches and kicks, Ogata went in close and started using more traditional judo techniques, throwing the teen repeatedly onto the hardwood floor.

At first, Kaiba rolled with the throws and sprung out of them with an acrobatic grace that made Ogata wonder if the brunette wasn't practicing on his own after all. However, after several more tosses, Kaiba's patience ran out and made itself known as he pulled Ogata down with him and reversed their positions to pin the older man beneath him. Ogata once again found himself with Kaiba's fingers wrapped tightly around his throat and it was enough to make him refrain from his normal line of commentary. "Either start taking me seriously or I'm leaving," Kaiba threatened, in no mood for nonsense.

Ogata looked critically at Kaiba, noticing the dark circles under the teen's eyes and the exhaustion that was being masked only by his determination to persevere. It would never be a fair fight under such circumstances, but Ogata knew Kaiba wouldn't listen to reason. He was willing to place money on the fact that Kaiba hadn't slept since the night before Yami was taken and Ogata momentarily contemplated if it would be a small mercy to the teen to knock him out so he could get the sleep he was refusing to succumb to. "No holding back?" Ogata questioned, realizing that his original plan to let Kaiba blow off some of his stress had essentially failed.

"You're just now figuring that out?" Kaiba scoffed, receiving another throw for his comment that got him off of Ogata. "You're the one who invited me here, remember?"

Without saying another word, Ogata started to give Kaiba the fight he had been spoiling for since he walked into the dojo. It was fast paced and brutal, leaving no doubt in Ogata's mind that they both would be sporting painful evidence of their bout the next day. He would have been in awe of Kaiba's endurance if he didn't understand how the teen functioned, because he really was holding nothing back for once. They both had finally worked up a sweat and were breathing heavily, but their movements remained sharp despite their mounting exhaustion.

It was starting to take its toll on Kaiba and he could sense his movements and reaction time becoming more sluggish as the fight continued. He refused to give in and admit defeat, so Kaiba kept up the fight, even though it meant taking several hard hits that never would have landed otherwise. As if sensing it, Ogata tried to bring a halt to the fight by sweeping the teen's legs out from under him and forcing him forward onto the floor with a well-placed kick. Kaiba landed hard, but when he felt the weight of Ogata on his back and heard his heavy breathing, it triggered unpleasant thoughts that made him elbow the older man hard and scramble out from under him.

The wide eyed way Kaiba was staring at him made Ogata almost apologize as he stood up, but the glare he received in turn silenced him. He often wondered about Kaiba's past, but it wasn't something that he would pry into; Ogata knew his limits. When he started to say, "Seto," Kaiba launched himself at Ogata for a final round before his body gave out on him. Unfortunately for him, his movements were so slow that they were easily predictable and Ogata easily dodged. "You're at your limits, Seto."

"The hell I am!" Kaiba snapped as he successfully managed to land a hit as his second wind kicked in thanks to the rush of adrenaline still pumping through his system.

"Don't make me prove you wrong," Ogata warned as he went on the defensive once more. "You haven't slept in what? Almost four days? And you seriously think you can keep up with me?"

"I've kicked your ass all over this floor already, haven't I?" Kaiba challenged, kicking Ogata's feet out from under him with a precise sweep of his leg to prove his point.

Ogata managed to take Kaiba down with him and he held the squirming teen against his chest as he exhaled deeply. "Am I seriously going to have to knock you out to get you to sleep?" Ogata asked before grunting when Kaiba managed to knee him hard.

"I'll sleep after I find him," Kaiba growled, becoming increasingly frustrated by his inability to get away. The last of his reserves was fading on him and it was annoying; Kaiba wasn't ready to admit defeat to himself, let alone to Ogata.

"Yami wouldn't want you to do this to yourself and you know it," Ogata tried once more to reason with him, hoping that it would somehow make it through to his boss.

"Don't tell me what he would want," Kaiba snapped, even though he knew the words were true.

Ogata chuckled at the indignant huff he received from the bristling teen, amused that some things never changed. "Sleeping would be more productive than this fight, you know," Ogata pointed out, earning him a rather rude noise from Kaiba. "Take care of yourself so he doesn't have to worry about you, Seto. Not to mention Mokuba-chan."

"Yami would worry about me anyway," Kaiba muttered as he finally ceased his useless struggle. Even if he had Yuugi tell Yami otherwise, he knew his stubborn boyfriend would refuse to believe it unless he had proof—and that's when it hit Kaiba what he could do to get a lead. "Shit, that's it!"

"Huh?" Ogata asked in confusion, too stunned to prevent Kaiba from rolling away.

Feeling equal parts genius for his idea and stupid for not thinking of it sooner, Kaiba smirked at Ogata as he explained, "I know how to get some answers."

"And what magical source do you have that the rest of us don't?" Ogata asked as he sat up, trying to understand what had made Kaiba's demeanor shift so dramatically so quickly.

For half a heartbeat, Kaiba wondered if Ogata knew about the mystic connections of Yami's existence, but he immediately dismissed it as nothing more than a choice colloquialism. "One that you would never believe me if I told you," Kaiba cryptically answered as he forced his sore body to get off of the floor. "I'll let you know what I find out."

"What are you planning?" Ogata questioned, his uncertainty present in his voice. He had no clue what Kaiba was thinking and that disturbed Ogata because of the teen's present state; he wouldn't put it past his boss to do something drastic in his desperation.

"Don't worry about it," Kaiba dismissively said as he started making a list of the people he needed to call to put his plans into action, mainly Yuugi, Isono, then Mokuba. "I'll be in touch."

"Seto—"

Feeling a sense of excited hope he hadn't dared to let himself feel since Yami had first been taken, Kaiba couldn't help but add, "And you were wrong. This was far more productive than sleeping."

Blinking at his boss, Ogata was in shock at receiving the hidden gratitude of the statement. "Uh, you're welcome?" Ogata replied, unable to say anything else as he watched Kaiba walk away with an air of confidence that was as confusing by its sudden appearance as it was reassuring to see.

"Now what exactly are you planning?" Ogata wondered aloud to the empty room, hoping that it panned out so they could find Yami and bring him home.

* * *

**A/N:** For those of you who thought the sparring was odd, their history was established in **Entangled Series 09, View from the Other Side**.

Not much to add to this one, so onward.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I'll leave you to it, unless you need anything else?"_

Now whatever could Kaiba be planning? I can promise it's something you've all been hoping for, so check back on **Sunday, December 12th** and find out what he's got in the works. In the meantime, keep the reviews coming! There have been some really insightful and helpful reviews recently and again, I encourage the anonymous reviewers to leave a form of contact if they want their questions answered!


	8. Chapter 08: Perchance to Dream

**A/N: **There are **posting schedule updates **after the chapter, so please be advised.

* * *

**Chapter 08: Perchance to Dream**

"This won't hurt him further, right?" Kaiba asked Yuugi, voicing the only doubt in his plan. It occurred to Kaiba during his fight with Ogata that there was the slimmest possibility that if he had access to the Millennium Puzzle, he might be able to reach Yami through it. Thus, Kaiba had cleared it with Isono and Mokuba that he would be going over to Yuugi's house. Realistically, Kaiba knew that using the Puzzle would push him past his current state of exhaustion and he would finally get the sleep his body so desperately needed, whether he wanted it or not. It just made more sense to him to stay at the Game Shop as a result, but Kaiba still had a few concerns about the whole outlandish plan.

"He's still a bit weak, but he knows his limits," Yuugi reassured him, although they both had to ignore the fact that the latter part wasn't always true.

"And you're okay without it?" Kaiba questioned, still feeling uneasy about asking Yuugi for permission to have the Millennium Puzzle in his sole possession.

Smiling at Kaiba as he handed the ancient artifact over, Yuugi reassured him, "I'll be fine. I won't be able to hear anything you say, so don't worry about me."

"Thanks," Kaiba softly said as he accepted the Millennium Puzzle, feeling the heavy weight of it in his hands and on his heart.

"I'll leave you to it, unless you need anything else?"

Shaking his head, Kaiba replied, "I'm fine, get some rest."

"Same to you, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi returned as he stepped out of Yami's room and shut the door behind him.

Left alone in Yami's room, Kaiba once again looked around it and felt utterly disheartened at his absence. It just wasn't right and it made Kaiba hope that his foolish plan succeeded. Putting the Millennium Puzzle on the bed, Kaiba took off his coat as the first concession to his staying. Kaiba went over to Yami's closet to hang up his coat, when he noticed one of his own dress shirts in the closet and muttered, "When the hell did he steal this?" The thought of it made Kaiba flush slightly as he thought about Yami wearing nothing but the shirt and a coy smile.

Not wanting to wear one of his own dress shirts to sleep, Kaiba gave up on his hope that there might be something in there that would be more comfortable than what he was currently wearing. Shutting the door, Kaiba instead stripped down to his undershirt and briefs, carefully folding each item and setting them on Yami's desk.

Only then did Kaiba turn off the light and walk over to the bed and slip under the covers. He couldn't stop himself from instinctively wanting to reach out and pull Yami close, to move closer to his warmth that was no longer there anymore. Instead, Kaiba placed his hand over the Millennium Puzzle's eye and concentrated on the connection that he had spent minimal time exploring. He could feel it faintly inside of him, flickering back in the darkness of his mind that was quick to overtake him.

* * *

_There were shadows without light, silence without sound, an endless emptiness that was everywhere and nowhere all at once. It was disorienting and Kaiba tried to ground himself in a place that defied description and reason. The only thing he wanted was lost somewhere in the void and he wouldn't rest until he found it._

_Time didn't exist and yet it seemed to drag on forever, a concept that functioned in a world that believed only in an instance. Everything was now and the past and future blended into the same vast world full of nothing. _

_Calling out a name was useless in a world without echo, a world with no walls to define an end. But still, Kaiba reached out, desperate to find Yami in at least one realm of the world. Yet it was difficult when he himself had no form, when Kaiba was incapable of defining himself or a place for Yami to find. _

_The world was nothing without Yami in it and Kaiba stretched out his very existence, grasping for anything that might be a fragment of his lover. Debris of memory, rubble of thoughts, ruins of lives lived and lost, anything and everything that was buried in nothing and nowhere, it was all there without existing, true without being real. _

_And then there was a ripple in the shadows, the slightest disturbance in an abyss of stillness. Kaiba tried to coax it forward, tried to move closer to it, knowing that it was what he was looking for—that it was _who_ he was looking for all along._

"_Yami," Kaiba named the darkness and he felt it merging with his consciousness, curling up in the warmth and safety of his mind rather than the embrace of his arms. "What are you doing up there?"_

"_Direct access," spoke the silence and Kaiba tried to prod the formless figure in his mind, the sentient existence that he could feel under his very skin. It was moving through him, defining him a world that defied definition. "Seto…"_

_He felt the name like a caress in his mind and Kaiba shuddered with awareness. "Yami, I—" Kaiba tried to say, but he felt pricklings of displeasure that stopped him._

"_Not enough time," Yami warned, sounding so close and yet so far away, a silent echo within that only Kaiba could hear. "Later."_

"_I'm getting you back," Kaiba swore, needing to say it regardless of how much time they had let together. _

"_You have me back."_

This doesn't count_, Kaiba thought to himself, but there was no privacy in his own mind with Yami surrounding him, imbuing him completely. "I don't care how I do it, I'm getting you back!" _

"_Short on time," Yami warned once more, knowing that nothing needed to be said on Kaiba's assertion._

"_I need you to show me where you are now, who you're with, and who took you," Kaiba stated, obeying the warning in his desire for information._

_A ripple of regret, a slicing sadness, all coursing through him and mixing with his own emotions, highlighting them in the darkness. "No energy left for all three," Yami replied, moving through Kaiba's mind to the place where he could whisper words into images._

"_Then show me where you are, show me you're okay," Kaiba insisted, hoping he would recognize the area._

"_I miss you," Yami murmured before he faded into flashing pictures of places. The wall he glared at, the ceiling he stared at, the window he looked out of longingly, the floor he paced over, the food they brought, but there was a jumbled disconnect, two men with guns in the living room, hazy transparency overlapping of Osiris embracing Mokuba, a flicker of darkness, a final loving caress of their minds and then Yami disappeared and took the light and world with him._

* * *

Mokuba worried his lower lip as he and Yuugi watched Kaiba sleeping in Yami's bed. The image was heartbreaking and it made the guilt eat away at Mokuba even more. Yami should be curled up next to Kaiba, not the Millennium Puzzle he was clutching so desperately to even in sleep. He couldn't get over feeling like it was his fault, that he was to blame for the situation. "And he's been like this for how long?" Mokuba asked as he looked at Yuugi for an answer.

"Twenty hours at least," Yuugi guessed, finding it incredible that anyone could sleep that long without waking up to go to the bathroom.

"Is it a problem to leave him here?" Mokuba questioned, not having the heart to call Isono and ask him to carry Kaiba to the car and into the mansion. It just seemed cruel to make Kaiba leave Yami's bed under the circumstances.

"Of course not," Yuugi reassured Mokuba with a warm smile that did little to ease the pain in the younger teen's heart. "You're both always welcome here whether or not Yami's here, you know that."

"Don't say that! We're getting him back!" Mokuba shot back sharply, glaring at Yuugi with the full force of his anguish.

His smile slid into sadness and Yuugi softly said, "That's not what I meant, Mokuba-kun."

It was becoming too much for Mokuba and the tears started falling from his eyes as he whispered, "I'm sorry," over and over again. He was apologizing to his sleeping brother who was all alone now, to Yuugi for being responsible for Yami's absence, to Yami who wasn't there to hear it, but it still wasn't enough to absolve him of his guilt and grief; there just weren't enough words.

"He's sorry, too," Yuugi said as he hugged Mokuba in an attempt to offer what comfort his words were unable to bring.

Even though it should have been a relief to hear that Yuugi knew anything about Yami's current state, the words only made it worse as Mokuba started to get overwhelmed again.

* * *

Kaiba could only differentiate the darkness through the sound of his heartbeat in the empty room. His head was pounding and his body felt weary, but things were slowly starting to make sense as the world became reconstructed with every breath he took. What didn't make sense to him was why the bed was as empty as the room, why he was the only one there when Yami should have been nestled by his side.

Details were slow to form, his mind a jumbled mess of fragmented memories and images that were crawling around his mind, but Kaiba couldn't focus yet. Something was wrong, but his hazy state shielded him from the truth he didn't want to acknowledge.

When the door opened, Kaiba tensed immediately, but he relaxed when he saw the familiar silhouette against the light of the hall. It was a genuine relief to see him approach and Kaiba exhaled the tightness in his chest as he mumbled, "I had the worst dream…"

It was so hard to see against the sudden invasion of brightness and Kaiba squinted at it, blurring the world with shadowy light. He accepted the proffered medicine and it took a supreme effort to raise himself up enough to drink the water, hoping it would do something to help rid him of the pain in his head, but what he needed was still so far away. Laying back down once more, feeling the coolness of the water spread through him, Kaiba was disturbed when the only other person in the room turned away from him to leave.

His body reacting faster than his mind, Kaiba's hand shot out and wrapped around the reassuring warmth of that slender wrist. "Don't go," Kaiba whispered, even though it cost him dearly to do so. He hated showing his weakness, but he hated Yami being gone from his side even more after such disturbing dreams.

Yuugi remained frozen, unsure of what to do. He knew it was wrong to go along with it, but he feared Kaiba's reaction to finding out the truth of who he was more. Acting on the hope that Kaiba would fall asleep again before anything happened, Yuugi complied and remained unmoving.

The reluctance to comply tipped Kaiba off that all was not as it should be, but his body wasn't inclined to accept what his mind was trying to point out through the fog. "Yuugi?" Kaiba guessed, feeling the darkness turn inward as it urged him to remember things he didn't want to accept.

"I'm sorry," Yuugi apologized, hanging his head and waiting for the fallout that he knew was bound to ensue.

Releasing Yuugi's wrist, Kaiba sighed heavily as he closed his eyes and tried not to feel ill as his world dropped out from under him once more. "So am I," Kaiba replied, knowing it was true for so much more than mistaking his identity.

"I just thought you would have a headache when you woke up, so I—"

Kaiba interrupted, "Appreciated," and hoped that would cut off the rush of words that made his head pound harder. He would have berated his own foolish heart for daring to hope it was a nightmare that Yami had been stole away from him, but Kaiba just didn't have the energy.

"Mokuba-kun is asleep downstairs," Yuugi informed Kaiba, knowing that his younger brother would be an immediate priority. "He's only been asleep for an hour or so. I was getting ready to head to bed myself, but I just wanted to check in on you, so…"

That bit of information told Kaiba just how late it was and he didn't want to disturb Mokuba if he had managed to fall asleep. His younger brother had been trying to avoid sleep so that he wouldn't have nightmares over what had happened.

"You're welcome to stay the night again," Yuugi continued, hoping that he wasn't overstepping his unspoken boundaries with Kaiba.

Rather than rudely brushing off the invitation, Kaiba accepted with a, "Thanks," that was so soft that Yuugi almost thought he imagined it. Although Kaiba would normally balk at such a thing, he was still just too exhausted. He'd be lucky if he could find the will to make it down the hall to the bathroom and back, let alone drive to his house in such a state. Struggling to sit up once more, Kaiba held out the Millennium Puzzle to Yuugi. "Here."

Accepting it with hesitant hands, Yuugi asked, "Are you sure?"

"I doubt I'll be able to reach him again tonight," Kaiba replied with a shrug, not wanting to risk exhausting Yami further.

"Only if you're sure," Yuugi hesitantly said, waiting until he received a nod to slip the heavy chain over his head. "Do you need anything else?"

Instead of the scathing insults he would normally reply with, Kaiba merely shook his head. He waited until Yuugi was gone to sit up fully, holding his pounding head in his hands as he waited for the nausea to abate. It was all slowly filtering back through him, the flashes of images that Yami had shared with him, the echo of his distant emotions that made Kaiba ache.

With an effort, Kaiba forced himself out of the bed and shivered as his bare feet hit the cold wood floor. He staggered with his first few steps and he swayed a bit as he tried to regain his balance. Ordering his sluggish body to cooperate, Kaiba made it to the bathroom and back without further embarrassment. Although he wanted to go downstairs and check on his brother, Kaiba knew if he did that, he'd never make it back upstairs again.

Shutting the door behind him, Kaiba collapsed once more onto Yami's bed. The residual warmth of his own heat made his mind instantly think of Yami and no amount of reprimand would make it stop being so painful. Burying his face in the pillow and inhaling deeply, Kaiba could still smell traces of Yami. It was enough when combined with the heat to make him feel like Yami was still close by and Kaiba fell into a deep sleep once more.

* * *

**A/N: **This update is a little late because I was working on finals. Nothing like 80+ pages of academic writing to sap your creativity for fics. I'm also testing a program called Ustream (my username is Kamiyashi) that shows live updates and has a chat room attached to it that anyone can use. I would ultimately like to write a oneshot from start to finish and if anyone wanted to watch and chat while I did it, I think that would be a really awesome experience. I also can use it while editing my chapters. If anyone is interested, please let me know! I'm still feeling around for feedback on the idea, so I'd appreciate any feedback.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_He hasn't given up, Kaiba realized, finding the only real peace in that thought over than the fact he had proof that Yami was still alive._

The next update will go up on **Sunday, December 19th, **but I will be skipping **Sunday, December 26th** due to the holiday and having a house full of relatives. However, next week's update is a nice and long one, so hopefully that will make up for skipping one week.

Also, as a result of finals, I'm behind on review replies again, but I encourage you to leave your thoughts on Yami's reappearance. I should be able to catch up on them next week, though. And please don't forget to sound off on the Ustream thing if you have opinions on that as well!


	9. Chapter 09: Information

**Chapter 09: Information**

Kaiba still wasn't convinced that the extra hours of sleep had helped him; his body felt too sluggish, his mind too slow. It didn't help that he was doing monotonous work that was made all the worse because it had thus far been unproductive. He could vividly recall the two men Yami had shown him in the dream and Kaiba was sorting through the photographs of all the male employees from Shinshiro Security, hoping to recognize one of them as the kidnappers. There was no concrete proof that Tanaka was involved, but Kaiba couldn't shake the feeling that the man was somehow connected; Ogata's misgivings only convinced him further. But with each picture discarded, the doubts continued to amass.

None of it made any sense to Kaiba, even with the added information that Yuugi was slowly filtering through to him whenever Yami made periodic attempts at contact. He had learned that the delay in contact from the kidnappers was because they weren't entirely certain what his worth was. Whoever was in charge had stayed hidden, but mercifully it seemed that they didn't believe the outlandish recounting of Yami's powerful display; his current weakened state only helped further the disbelief. It seemed that the boss assumed the story was an outlandish excuse as to why three grown men had been unable to kidnap one young teen and Kaiba was fine with that.

Apparently Yami had convinced them that he had a medical condition and his demeanor had convinced them to feed him regularly, but Kaiba doubted how long that would last. Yami could consume massive amounts of food whenever he got like that and Kaiba worried that the kidnappers would only put up with that for so long. It wasn't satisfactory, but it would just have to be enough for now that they were taking care of Yami while trying to figure out who he really was and what worth he had to trade.

On the one hand, Kaiba was grateful that they had failed to make the connection between Yami and himself because it meant the former pharaoh was still safe. On the other hand, it meant that he had no recourse for stealing Yami back without serious consequences. Of course, after four days, Kaiba was just about ready to give in to any demands if it meant getting Yami back safely. He didn't care if he had to break in there himself, he was going to get Yami back at any cost. But then the rational part of his mind kicked in and he realized that doing so would only put Yami in more danger later, so it was ultimately inadvisable.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba cast aside another photograph and held his head between his hands. The pounding pressure in his head just wouldn't let up and he had to continually remind himself to unclench his jaw and fists because he was in a perpetual state of anger and rage. It was getting harder to control his shameful outbursts and as a result, Kaiba surrounded himself only with Isono, his secretary, and Ogata; all others were to be hidden out of sight so that they wouldn't unfairly face his wrath.

Something had to give, but there just weren't any clues. None of their evidence had panned out into solid leads and Kaiba was growing more frustrated as the days went by, but he refused to give up without a fight. There would be hell to pay and it didn't matter to Kaiba that Yami was unharmed thus far; the fact that he was suffering in any measure was enough to sign their death warrants.

The sound of his phone ringing made Kaiba physically startle and he scowled at his own reaction. He was far too jumpy and it made him feel foolish. "What?" Kaiba asked, his voice filled with weariness rather than harsh reproach.

"Ogata-san has something he wishes to show you," his secretary informed him, but Kaiba could hear her uncertainty. "He says that it's important."

Even though Kaiba wanted to nothing more than to throw Ogata out, if it meant finding out the slightest bit of information, it would be worthwhile to see it. "Fine," Kaiba consented before hanging up, easily picturing her startled expression at how quickly he acquiesced.

Ogata entered immediately thereafter and Kaiba stared blankly at the man with shadows of disdain as he approached and sat down in a chair. Kaiba paid more attention to the small box in Ogata's hands than the man himself before looking up at him for an explanation.

Pushing the box across the desk, Ogata merely said, "Open it," and waited.

Kaiba half-expected something to jump out of the box, a poor attempt at humor of some kind, but instead there was a simple envelope in a clear bag with his name written in flowing kanji of a woman's hand. "You're confessing to me," Kaiba deadpanned, looking from the letter up at Ogata.

Even though Ogata knew it was inappropriate, he burst into laughter at the mere thought of it, but his mirth failed to reach through to Kaiba. "As charming as you are, no," Ogata declined, even though he was still snickering at the idea. "Besides, you know that's not my style."

"Yeah, showing up sprawled naked on my desk is much more your style," Kaiba muttered with a glare that lost its fierceness in his exhaustion.

"You'd murder me if I ever tried that," Ogata pointed out with another laugh, "otherwise it would almost be worth it to see your expression."

Ignoring Ogata's attempts at drawing him into a lighter mood, Kaiba asked, "So what is this?"

"I found this and—"

Kaiba interrupted to ask, "Where?"

Squirming a bit in his seat, Ogata didn't want to confess the truth because it would totally ruin the future of his enjoyment of one of his favorite past times, but Kaiba needed to know the truth. "Despite being such a bastard, you get copious amounts of fan mail," Ogata started to explain, wondering if Kaiba even realized how much mail he received on a daily basis from girls and men alike who confessed their affection for him.

"And what does that have to do with you?" Kaiba demanded, knowing that all the junk was filtered out in favor of his actual mail.

Giving his most winning smile, Ogata tried to downplay one of his hobbies as he said, "Occasionally I help out in the mailroom."

"So you're banging one of my mailmen?" Kaiba asked with an arched eyebrow, still failing to see what any of this had to do with him.

"In my defense, one of them was a woman," Ogata replied with a smirk that made Kaiba roll his eyes in disgust. "And that was like a year ago and not on company time."

"Spare me your conquests, asshole," Kaiba muttered, not in the mood to hear about it. "Get to the point."

Bracing himself for Kaiba's reaction, Ogata explained, "Well, since so many people put so much time and effort into writing you such lovely and…_personal_ letters, it would be a shame to just ignore them."

"If I find out that you're answering them and pretending to me, I'm pulling my gun out of this drawer and shooting you where you sit," Kaiba threatened, entirely displeased by the thought of Ogata doing such a thing.

"Why would I write back to them when they believe you to be their unobtainable ideal?" Ogata pointed out, knowing that was half the fun of the fantasy. "I just read a few letters here and there for fun."

"For fun," Kaiba repeated flatly, failing to see what part of that would be fun. "You go through my personal mail for _fun_."

Leaning back in his chair and stretching discretely, Ogata pointed out, "First of all, you never read them, so I'd hardly call it personal. Secondly, it's not like I'm reading your corporate mail, Seto. I'm just reading purple prose from some _very_ creative people."

"What? Kaiba asked, too tired to figure out what Ogata was prattling on about anymore.

"I'm just saying that some people write in with either adorable gushing or some _very_ creative accounts of what they would do if you were their man," Ogata clarified, his perverse smile giving away a hint of what he was talking about now. "Although I'm fascinated at how many of them write in and suggest that you and certain duelists should hook up and how awesome it would be."

Narrowing his eyes at Ogata, Kaiba asked in a threatening tone, "Are you telling me that you read my personal fan mail to see if there's porn stories about me with another person?"

Holding up his hands in surrender, Ogata tried to defend himself, "It's not like that. I just, look, sometimes there's some really entertaining stuff in there, okay? You should seriously give it a read. Might give you some ideas that—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Kaiba warned, not wanting to hear how it ended. Because the whole conversation made him wonder if Yami got the same kind of mail and he just knew that his boyfriend would be endlessly amused by the idea of what kind of letters Ogata had found.

"Fine," Ogata conceded, grateful that Kaiba's reaction hadn't been worse. "But this isn't one of those letters."

"How do you know?"

"Just open the damn bag," Ogata commanded, knowing that he had danced around the issue as much as he could. "You'll understand why I'm up here ruining one of my favorite past times."

"You are seriously damaged," Kaiba muttered, but he leaned forward and pulled the bag out of the box. Unsealing it and letting the letter slide out onto his desk, Kaiba was immediately able to smell the reason the letter had tipped off Ogata. "How did…?"

"Like any of us could forget that smell?" Ogata countered, knowing it was too distinctive to doubt that it was written by anyone else. "It just lingers like a bad memory."

The mix of emotions inside of Kaiba were too complex to even begin to process and he just stared at the letter, not wanting to touch it and yet knowing he needed to. "That's one way of putting it," Kaiba muttered as he reached for the letter and turned it over in his hands and found nothing on the back of the envelope.

Deftly opening it with his letter opener, feeling some amount of gratification for slashing it with what was essentially a small sword, Kaiba pulled out the contents and tried not to gag when the smell of her perfume hit him fully. The pale pink paper that was decorated with sakura blossoms nauseated him almost as much and he unfolded it carefully, hoping that Ogata didn't see how badly his hands were trembling.

A picture fell onto his desk and Kaiba's blood boiled even as his heart dropped out from him. Picking up the picture, Kaiba burned with the need for revenge as he saw Yami curled up in a bed, his hands cuffed behind his back, and looking entirely too pale to be healthy. He had clearly lost weight and looked almost sickly if it weren't for the fiery anger in those scarlet eyes that stared defiantly into the camera. _He hasn't given up_, Kaiba realized, finding the only real peace in that thought over than the fact he had proof that Yami was still alive.

He couldn't stop looking at the picture, trying to see any little detail that might help him. There was nothing on the bed that gave any clues except for the newspaper with a headline from two days ago. Without a window to give away the local outside scenery, it was impossible to trace the area he was being held in and Kaiba was starting to run out of patience. He studied Yami's form carefully, looking for any trace of a sign or signal that might help, but there was nothing.

Still, it was a relief to have actual proof that Yami was mostly okay, but Kaiba couldn't relax. However, when he held the photograph closer for inspection, he saw a wound scabbing over along Yami's hairline, probably from where they knocked him out to kidnap him. Kaiba's world bled gold in his anger, his soul seething in a rage beyond words at the audacity that someone would dare hurt what was his. He could feel it running through him, just begging for release to exact revenge against those who had dared to do such a thing.

Ogata watched his boss, completely transfixed by what he was seeing. It felt like all the air had been stolen from the room as a chill descended over them, but beyond that, Ogata could have sworn he saw a flicker of golden light surrounding Kaiba as the shadows shifted and slowly crept into the light. "Seto?" Ogata hesitantly called out, trying to bring his boss back to awareness.

Kaiba looked from the picture to Ogata, his soul purring when the older man almost appeared to recoil from him. "_What_?" Kaiba demanded, unaware of the shadows that colored his voice, the golden light that was imbuing his blue eyes with the power of his ancient soul that was demanding divine retribution.

Ogata had never seen anything like what he was witnessing and it was as beautiful as it was terrifying. The aura of deadly danger that was pressing against him was nearly palpable, but at the same time, Kaiba looked so ethereal and powerful that it deeply affected Ogata in ways he didn't want to think acknowledge. He had always been of the mindset that Kaiba's eyes were one of his most striking features, but to see a faint glimmer of gold within the irises was something beyond even his normal aesthetic appreciation. "You…?" Ogata tried to say, but words failed him as he continued staring at Kaiba in something akin to awed fear.

Kaiba could feel the power pulsate within, but it refused to act against the man in front of him, recognizing him as an ally rather than a threat. Pushing against his very soul for action, Kaiba shivered when he felt something brush against the back of his mind, a touch that was so faint that he would have thought he'd imagined it if it hadn't whispered, _Seto_, so softly in Yami's voice. Kaiba tried to hold on to that presence, grasping for it in the depths of his mind, needing to hold it close and protect it, but it slipped away from his grasps and the world dimmed from gold to grey as Yami disappeared and his power along with it. "No!" Kaiba growled, as he struggled to reclaim what he had lost, fighting desperately to find that trace of Yami so he wouldn't be alone in his own mind. But there was nothing left, not even a whisper of a trace. "_No_…"

The note of anguish in Kaiba's voice as he swayed in his seat had Ogata on his feet and over at his boss' side in an instant. Crouching before him, Ogata stared up into what now seemed like vacant eyes, concern washing over him as he hesitantly touched Kaiba's knee to bring him back to awareness. It didn't work and Ogata peered onto the desk to see what had sparked Kaiba's reaction; he saw the picture of Yami and words written in a girlish print, "I believe I have something of yours."

"Seto," Ogata tried again, hoping to get through to him. It was frightening to see Kaiba look so withdrawn and Ogata was completely puzzled over what had just happened.

The sound of a cellphone ringing startled them both and Kaiba mechanically reached it and opened it without even checking the caller ID. "What?" Kaiba asked, blinking at last and seeming to come back to himself, looking down at Ogata with disapproval.

"Kaiba-kun, what just happened? I felt the Millennium Puzzle react and—" Yuugi started to explain in a rush of words, but Kaiba interrupted him quickly.

"Yeah, that was me," Kaiba confirmed, rubbing the center of his forehead and wondering if he had given himself away with a glowing Millennium Eye that would have Ogata pestering him for answers he would never be ready to give.

"Are you okay?" Yuugi asked, his voice full of genuine concern. "It just felt different than when you normally, uhm…well, you know. I mean, I felt Yami react to it, so I was just worried that something had happened. And I'm at home, so I didn't understand how—"

_At least I didn't imagine that_, Kaiba thought with heaviness in his heart. It still wasn't enough to make him feel better, but it helped at least confirm that Yami was still there and alert to what was going on with them. "I'll explain later," Kaiba said, knowing that he was obligated to bring the picture and letter over to Yuugi and update him on the situation.

Only after Kaiba hung up his phone did Ogata dare to ask, "So what the hell just happened?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Kaiba coldly answered, feeling increasingly disturbed by his own lack of control.

"Seto, your eyes were _glowing_," Ogata pointed out, feeling ridiculous for saying such a thing out loud. "And I swear, the shadows were moving."

"Clearly I hit you too hard in the head the other day," Kaiba insulted, needing Ogata to leave before he further embarrassed himself. The rush of power was sapping away the last reservoirs of his strength and he knew he wouldn't stay conscious much longer. Yuugi had been too far away for Kaiba to have attempted such a thing, but it seemed his soul was more closely tied to the ancient artifact than he had originally presumed. It all served to make Kaiba realize if he felt this badly, how much worse it must have been for Yami. "You're just imagining shit."

As much as Ogata wanted to believe that, he refused to accept it. "The hell I am! I know what I saw!"

"You don't know anything!" Kaiba yelled, too exhausted to raise his normal defenses against his own behavior. "You don't fucking understand any of it, so don't act like you do!"

Ogata was taken aback by the outburst, completely stunned by the vehemence of it. "You think I don't understand how much you miss him?" Ogata shot back, wondering if it was the right decision to try and help Kaiba let out some of the anger and frustration he was still keeping so pent up and poorly repressed. "I've never seen you suffer—"

"You will suffer far worse if you finish that sentence," Kaiba interrupted to threaten and he once more felt something move deep within him, but there was just nothing left to draw on anymore.

When Kaiba doubled over with his head in his hands and groaned, Ogata's fears intensified as he demanded, "Seto, what the hell is going on?"

The emptiness ached inside of him as he felt his internal struggle, the pain inside his head intensifying to a near blinding level. "Nothing," Kaiba gasped, shuddering when he felt Ogata's hands touching him once more.

"Bullshit! I'm getting a doctor—"

"No," Kaiba growled, gripping Ogata's wrist tightly when the older man stood up to leave. "Not a word to anyone."

"Tell me what happened or I'm getting a doctor to answer me," Ogata bargained, wanting to help and yet at a complete loss on how to do so.

"They hurt him," Kaiba replied, his grip tightening further on Ogata's arm. He needed it to ground him against the darkness that was starting to dim his vision. "They will pay for what they've done."

"What does that have to do with this?" Ogata asked, still not following Kaiba's train of thought.

"_Because I protect what's mine,"_ Kaiba swore, unaware he had switched into his ancient language in his outrage.

"I don't understand what you're saying," Ogata said, confused about why Kaiba had stopped speaking in Japanese.

"I'll stop at nothing to get Yami back," Kaiba clarified, his eyes flickering with gold once more before he blacked out and collapsed.

Ogata awkwardly caught him and picked him out of the chair with minimal effort. It bothered him how light Kaiba was, but Ogata walked over to the wall and was grateful that he had the foresight to hack the system years earlier to let him have access to the small apartment that was hidden on the other side of the wall. The doors parted after a retina scan confirmed his identity and Ogata gingerly eased Kaiba onto the bed.

He was honestly scared by what had just happened and Ogata wondered what the right course of action was. The reasonable thing to do would be to call a doctor and have them come check out Kaiba's condition, but Ogata knew that the finite details of what he had witnessed were too important to leave out and yet too crucial to tell anyone. However, his gut was telling him to find out who had called immediately after it happened, because they clearly knew something had occurred.

Hesitating another moment as he looked down on Kaiba's slumbering form, Ogata swore that he would make the people responsible for all of this suffer the worst kind of hell by the time it was over. It was clear that Kaiba wasn't in immediate danger; his pulse was normal, his breathing had evened out, so he was safe for the time being.

It was hard to walk away from Kaiba, but Ogata forced himself to in order to find answers. Walking over to Kaiba's desk and sitting in his chair, Ogata picked up the abandoned cellphone and went into the last call section. It surprised him to see that it was Yuugi and Ogata hit redial with apprehension.

Yuugi picked up on the second ring and asked in a rush of words, "Kaiba-kun, are you really okay?"

"No, he's not," Ogata answered, hoping it wasn't too startling for the teen to hear.

"Who are you and what have you done to him?" Yuugi demanded, the fear coming through in his voice despite his efforts to be brave.

"I'm Ogata Katsuro—"

Yuugi's sigh of relief was audible and it made Ogata raise an eyebrow when the teen said, "You're that Katsuro-san, then?"

"What other one is there?" Ogata asked, holding back a chuckle. "I'm friends with Yami."

"He's mentioned you before," Yuugi confessed, sounding almost shy. "Do you know what happened?"

Knowing Yuugi's relation to Yami, it made Ogata decide to explain, "Seto got a letter with a picture of Yami in it. He's safe, but—"

"But Kaiba-kun still reacted to it," Yuugi interrupted to say, the level of rage and anger he had felt crashing over him earlier suddenly making sense. "He's passed out now, isn't he?"

"How do you know that?" Ogata wondered, not understanding why someone like Yuugi would know such a thing.

There was a long pause as Yuugi debated on how to phrase his next thought, but Ogata didn't say anything further until he heard his answer. Yuugi finally said, "It's okay. He'll be fine when he wakes up again in a few hours."

"What part of this is okay?" Ogata questioned, his tone sharpening in his upset. "You called him immediately afterward, so you obviously knew something had happened. How?"

"I can't answer that," Yuugi softly said, sounding sad. "All I can tell you is that it's normal for him to—"

"What's normal about his blue eyes turning gold?" Ogata practically yelled into the phone. "The shadows were fucking _moving_. That's. Not. _Normal_!"

"Please don't tell anyone," Yuugi pleaded, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

The non-answer was enough to make Ogata want to explode in his frustration, but Yuugi sounded so afraid on the other end of the line that it curbed his immediate reaction. "How can I tell someone something I don't understand?" Ogata finally agreed, sighing heavily as he leaned back in the chair. "No one would believe me anyway."

* * *

**A/N:** So for the first time, Ogata gets a glimpse of that other side of Kaiba's life. It raises some interesting points, but that's for a later chapter. Or chapters, as it were…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Narrowing his eyes at Kaiba's refusal to talk, Ogata challenged, "What are you so afraid of? That I'll run to the media and tell them that you have super powers and are secretly Kaibaman? Come on, Seto, you know me better than that."_

Because Kaibaman never stops being funny.

As I mentioned in the last chapter, there will be **no update **on **Sunday, December 26th** due to the holiday and the fact that I have family coming over to visit. As a result, the next update will be on **Sunday, January 2nd**. Hard to believe we're already getting into 2011…

I will also be attempting to do an Entangled drabble that I will broadcast on ustream, so keep an eye out for that. I'll also finally get around to catching up on review replies. Finals were a pain; seriously, 84 pages of essays is just murder in a two week period.

So thank you for the encouragement and the insights! I hope you enjoyed this long update and another glimpse of Yami, this time in the waking world.

Until then, we'll just have to wait until the new year to find out what happens next!


	10. Chapter 10: Emerging Details

**Chapter 10: Emerging Details**

Kaiba once again emerged from one darkness into another, blinking slowly as he reentered the world of the living from the land of dark dreams. He wasn't alone, but he recognized that he was in his office bedroom at Kaiba Corporation, so that meant it could only be one person. "Mokuba, you're supposed to be at Yuugi's," Kaiba muttered through a groan, wondering if his brother had come over after hearing about the phone call.

"He still is," Ogata smoothly answered, still typing on his laptop. He had been doing research on Hoshino Haruna while waiting for Kaiba to wake up, but he wasn't finding terribly promising results beyond what he had already discovered.

Kaiba rolled over to face the sound of Ogata's voice and had to bite back a groan as the action made the room spin. "How did you get in here?" Kaiba growled, squinting his eyes against the light the laptop screen was giving off in the small room.

"You tell me," Ogata countered, finishing up so he could properly focus on his boss.

"What did you do, pry my eye open to scan it?" Kaiba accused, wondering how his sole sanctuary had been breached.

"Something like that," Ogata replied with a grin, setting the laptop on the floor so it could still function as a light source in the dark room. "Now are you going to explain what's going on?"

"There's nothing to explain," Kaiba muttered as he closed his eyes once more. He didn't want to see Ogata's concern anymore.

Narrowing his eyes at Kaiba's refusal to talk, Ogata challenged, "What are you so afraid of? That I'll run to the media and tell them that you have super powers and are secretly Kaibaman? Come on, Seto, you know me better than that."

If he had felt better, that sarcastic image Ogata painted might have made him laugh, but the most he could manage was a weak snort. "There's something seriously wrong with you."

"I know what I saw," Ogata stubbornly persisted. "And I know that this occurs with enough regularity that Yuugi asked me not to say anything,"

"That little shit," Kaiba swore as he resisted the urge to bury his face against the pillow and hide from the awkward conversation. "What the hell were you talking to him for anyway?"

"Because he called as soon as the incident was over and you admitted to him that you caused it," Ogata answered, not feeling the least bit guilty over his actions. "I wanted to help and he seemed like the only person who knew what the hell was going on with you."

"Don't do it again," Kaiba warned, not interested in having Ogata cross over that far into his personal life. It was bad enough that Ogata and Yami had somehow become friends; he didn't need Ogata getting integrated into the Yuugi-tachi, too.

Leaning back in his chair and assessing Kaiba, Ogata rationalized, "That makes it sound like this will occur again."

"I meant calling Yuugi," Kaiba muttered, but it sounded pathetic even to his own ears.

"Sure you did," Ogata sarcastically agreed, not believing it for a moment. "That's why he knew what your exact symptoms were."

Even though it was weakness to admit, it was more painful to continue the awkward conversation. "I'm too tired for this shit," Kaiba finally admitted with a heavy sigh, wanting the subject dropped as soon as possible.

Even in the barely illuminated darkness, Ogata could clearly see how pale Kaiba looked and he decided to ease off his questioning for now. "Are you too tired to hear what I found out about Hoshino?" Ogata countered.

It felt like a trick question, but Kaiba didn't care if it meant he got answers. Struggling to sit up, Kaiba bit back a groan when it made the room start to swim again. "Tell me," Kaiba ordered, but his voice was as unsteady as he felt.

"Stop being so stubborn and lay back down," Ogata instructed, seeing how much Kaiba was struggling. "I already know something's wrong, so what's the use in pretending otherwise?"

"I'm fine," Kaiba growled, not willing to lose any more face in front of his employee than he already had.

"Am I going to have to pin you down on this bed?" Ogata teased in a sensuous tone of voice that startled Kaiba. "I'm sure Yami would forgive me if I had to tie—"

"Shut the fuck up," Kaiba snapped, interrupting Ogata into silence. "Explain."

Knowing that he was pushing his luck, Ogata continued joking, "I suppose I could be persuaded to give a demonstration, but—"

"Damn it, Ogata! You know what I meant!"

Letting is slide, Ogata told Kaiba, "Fine, fine. Hoshino first. She's on husband number five right now. Her first husband was her high school sweetheart gone wrong, so they legitimately split. Her second husband was somewhat wealthy and she made money in the divorce. Husband number three died under some mysterious circumstances, but she was awarded a large inheritance as a result. She met Gozaburo after him and attempted to make him husband number four, but that never happened. Instead, she married the fourth guy and he died on their honeymoon."

"She would have tried to kill that bastard and taken his money," Kaiba realized with a dark chuckle, having no doubts that she would have attempted such a thing. "Like hell I would've let that happen."

Smirking viciously, Ogata couldn't help but agree. Rather than saying that, he continued, "That brings us to husband number five. She was with him for less than two years before things went sour. He wouldn't divorce her since he was from a traditional background, so he mysteriously started getting sick shortly thereafter. His insurance company ruled it suicide by arsenic and refused to pay out the insurance on him. She then found out that he had never actually written her into his will and all the remaining money went to his kids from his first marriage. Her appeal was rejected because his kids had a mountain of evidence against her."

"So she wanted to kidnap Mokuba and ransom him for the money she didn't get out of her latest husband," Kaiba deduced, not the least bit surprised at her motivation. He had known from the first day he met her that she was only after money. It was one of the reasons he had been so against dating anyone originally; he just assumed that everyone would be like her. He had never been so glad to be wrong.

"That's what I think," Ogata confirmed with a nod, "but Yami was an unknown to her. She knew that his family didn't have enough money to pay her, plus it's not like he's Yuugi, your rival and King of Games, who actually has some worth to her. That's why I don't understand why she mailed that picture to you now."

"Neither do I, but at least we know for sure it's her now," Kaiba said with a heavy sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's been two days since she sent this, so what the hell is she waiting for?"

"I don't know, but I would expect another form of contact soon. I've already got the mail guys keeping an eye out for anything else that might come through."

"It's a start," Kaiba decided as he rubbed his eyes and blinked wearily. "Anything else?"

"Want a ride to Yuugi's?"

"You're not coming in," Kaiba immediately refused, knowing that he would rather call Isono.

Standing up and holding his hand out to Kaiba to help him, Ogata waited patiently until his boss begrudgingly accepted the assistance. "I'm just trying to help you and Yami," Ogata reminded Kaiba before letting go.

"Whatever," Kaiba said dismissively before leaving the room to get his cell phone and the rest of his belongings while Ogata did the same.

* * *

**A/N:** Happy New Year to you all! Here's to a whole new year of fics and updates. Let's see if I can't get L&F finished this year, ne?

I know I'm still woefully behind on review replies. I had these grand plans of using the Christmas holiday to get caught up, but then my uncle died on Christmas Eve and I spent Christmas Day traveling in a car to the funeral in a very isolated part of this country. Yeah, 45+ hours of car trips and I'm sick of being in a car. Needless to say, I didn't have a chance to answer replies because of extensive family visits and traveling times.

So I'm hoping to get caught up this week, barring any unforeseen incidents outside of my two appointments and returning to work.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_You have no attachment to Mutou Yami?" Hoshino asked in playful disbelief, not convinced in the least. "Then why does he moan your name so beautifully at night?"_

And so the villainess (finally) appears. The next update will go up on **Sunday, January 9th **andit's going to make a LOT of you happy. There's a scene that some of you have been begging me to include since Catnip Dreams, so I'm looking forward to your reactions to how it gets handled.


	11. Chapter 11: Build Up

**Chapter 11: Build Up**

Kaiba rang the doorbell only after Ogata drove away and it was as relief when Yuugi answered the door. "Hey," Yuugi greeted him, trying to remain casual. Even though it had only been a few hours since they had seen each other, Yuugi could see how much worse for the wear Kaiba looked.

"Can we talk?" Kaiba asked in a hushed tone, trying not to cringe when he heard Jounouchi laughing in the background.

"Sure," Yuugi agreed, assuming he knew what Kaiba wanted to discuss. "Where?"

"Wherever," Kaiba consented, not caring so long as he was away from Jounouchi.

Yuugi led them into the kitchen, taking pity on Kaiba and not making him go upstairs; he wasn't entirely sure the exhausted teen would make it back down again. He started to offer Kaiba something to eat, but he suspected that he would be immediately rejected. Instead, Yuugi just started making a small snack for himself and Kaiba.

"Hey man, who was—oh, uh, hi?" Jounouchi awkwardly interrupted, glancing briefly at Kaiba. Ignoring him had worked best; Jounouchi logically knew that Kaiba wasn't at fault over Yami's disappearance, but it was so hard not to take it out on him. Whenever he thought about Kaiba's role in the whole thing, his anger came dangerously close to spiraling out of control, so Jounouchi did his best to stifle his reactions and keep his distance. Jounouchi couldn't help but feel like none of this would have happened if they weren't dating, so he just did his best to focus on trying to keep Mokuba and Yuugi in good spirits; those were the important things.

"We'll be back in later," Yuugi reassured his friend within a smile, grateful that a fight hadn't broken out between them. "Unless you need something else?"

Shaking his head and backing away, Jounouchi said, "No, I'm cool," and left the two teens alone.

Bringing over a small sandwich and setting one in front of Kaiba as he took a seat, Yuugi started eating and hope that Kaiba would do the same. "What did you want talk about?" Yuugi asked.

Biting back a snark about the weather, Kaiba stared at the food in front of him. He wasn't hungry, but he knew that it would help if he ate; it was a bad sign when he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. "Thanks," he softly said, feeling awkward as he started trying to eat.

Knowing that Kaiba would probably stop eating if they started talking about the real issue, Yuugi decided to delay the conversation. He suspected that it was about the picture and that could wait just a little longer; it was enough that he knew through their connection that Yami was okay. "You're welcome," Yuugi said with a bright smile before getting up to get them water.

"Did Ogata say anything weird to you earlier?" Kaiba asked as he accepted the drink with another word of thanks. Even though he wanted to believe Ogata's proclamation of his innocence, he still didn't completely trust what had happened while he was asleep.

"He said that your eyes were glowing," Yuugi commented, still finding it strange that Kaiba had accessed the Millennium Puzzle at such a distance. "But his description sounded like what Mokuba said had happened to Yami."

"Meaning?"

"He didn't say anything about a third eye, just that your eyes were golden," Yuugi clarified, knowing that Ogata would have mentioned something as odd as the Millennium Eye appearing on Kaiba. "I've never seen that myself."

"Neither have I," Kaiba said with a frown as he forced himself to finish his sandwich. "I don't understand why this is changing."

"Maybe it has something to do with the distance?" Yuugi suggested.

Turning the idea over in his mind, Kaiba finally agreed, "Possibly, because I didn't actually do anything."

"You didn't?" Yuugi asked in surprise, tilting his head. "But you drew on it...?"

"I was angry, but—" Kaiba started to say, cutting himself off because he couldn't bring himself to say that he stopped because of Yami's intervention.

"But Yami stopped you," Yuugi finished the sentence, having felt the former spirit react.

Hanging his head a little with a sigh, Kaiba could do nothing more than nod in confirmation. Having finished, Kaiba reached into his inner jacket pocket for the copy of the picture he had received. "The original is in my labs for analysis with the letter, but I thought you should have this," Kaiba explained as he handed over the picture.

It was genuinely upsetting for Yuugi to see Yami restrained in such a way, but what he didn't understand was why Kaiba had reacted the way he had. Yami was clearly conscious and relatively unharmed, so the level of reaction was confusing still. "Was there something in the letter that...triggered you?" Yuugi hesitantly asked.

"They hurt him," Kaiba growled, his hands tightening into fists, hating himself for not being able to prevent it.

"Not since they took him," Yuugi protested.

"Don't defend them!" Kaiba snapped, seething with resentment toward those responsible. He knew that Yuugi was the type to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but it was unforgivable in this instance. "Not when that bitch is involved."

"You lost me," Yuugi said, not understanding the sudden shift in moods. "Did you find out who did this?"

"We think it's one of my adopted father's old mistresses," Kaiba explained, unwilling to say either of their names. "She's getting desperate for cash, so she wanted Mokuba for her pawn."

"Then why take Yami?" Yuugi wondered, still unsure about why the former pharaoh had been kidnapped instead. "And why would she connect him to you?"

"I don't know, but she said, 'I believe I have something of yours,' in her letter, so she's made a tentative link somehow," Kaiba replied, still displeased with the turn of events and yet oddly grateful he at least had something to go off of finally. "It was sent two days ago, so she's probably under the impression that I'm deliberately ignoring her."

Her assumption made sense, but Yuugi had to ask, "Why did it take so long to get to you?"

Flushing slightly, Kaiba admitted in a lowered tone, "It got sorted in with my fan mail."

Even though it was inappropriate, Yuugi started to laugh at the mere concept. "I'm sorry, but that's just too funny," Yuugi tried to justify his mirth, but he couldn't quit giggling at the thought of girls writing romantic letters to someone like Kaiba. "I'm glad they found it."

"But what to do with it now?" Kaiba pondered out loud as he leaned back and tried to subtly stretch. "There's still not enough information to track him down. I swear, I'm putting a chip in him when he comes back and making him take self-defense lessons."

The comment made Yuugi snicker, but the reality of the situation made him stop quickly as he realized, "This could happen again, couldn't it?"

"I have enemies," Kaiba haltingly explained, forcing himself to say what he had been dreading internally, "powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to take me and my company down. They know Mokuba is my weakness, but if they find out that Yami is a liability against me as well…I can't promise that no one else will come after him again. If I pay a ransom, that essentially puts a price on his life and makes him an easy target in the future and I just can't—but if I don't—"

Reaching out and hesitantly putting his hand over Kaiba's on the table to offer both a comfort and a distraction from his jumbled words, Yuugi interrupted, "Then you'll just find another way."

Kaiba stared down at Yuugi's small hand covering his own and his normal violent and volatile reactions to being touched in such a way were strangely quiet for once. Emboldened by the silence and lack of physical action, Yuugi continued, "I know you're doing everything that—"

"It's still not enough," Kaiba venomously hissed. "It won't be enough until he's back and they've been paid tenfold for this."

Squeezing Kaiba's hand gently, Yuugi said, "I know, Kaiba-kun. It's bigger than just this incident, I get that."

"I would do anything to get him back, but if it puts him in danger in the future…" Kaiba tried to explain, unable to stop himself in his exhaustion and his guilt that he was so futilely trying to ignore. He felt that he owed it to the Mutou family to be more honest about the situation than he would have been under any other circumstance, but it was still difficult for him.

"I know it's because you can't, not because you won't," Yuugi reassured him before letting go of his hand.

"I made that mistake once," Kaiba admitted in a soft voice, remembering the first time Mokuba had been kidnapped shortly after he had come into power at Kaiba Corporation. He had panicked in his immaturity and paid almost immediately, but that just doubled the price the next time it happened. Kaiba had learned then that paying only made it worse and there were always other options if he worked hard enough at it. "I'm not putting Yami through that."

Yuugi's eyes went wide at Kaiba's words and it made him realize, "With Mokuba-kun."

Nodding, Kaiba said nothing more on the subject; he had already said too much as it was. "Is he in the living room with the rest of them?"

"Yeah, but Honda-kun isn't here tonight," Yuugi replied as he gathered the dishes and went over to the sink to allow both himself and Kaiba the time to recompose themselves after such a serious conversation.

Kaiba was debating about whether or not to call Isono to collect them or stay the night in Yami's room again when his phone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, Kaiba narrowed his eyes at the blocked number; it was either a wrong number or one of the kidnappers and he couldn't take that chance. Yuugi shut off the water and came over to the table, so Kaiba answered the phone with a terse, "What?"

"Clearly your father didn't teach you phone manners," a silken female voice teased on the other end and Kaiba felt the world drop out from under him as he recognized it as easily as her scent. "That's no way to speak to a lady, Seto-kun."

"Then it's a good thing I'm talking to a whore," Kaiba caustically shot back, causing Yuugi to startle at the only side of the exchange he could hear. "Why are you wasting my time?"

Rather than taking offense to the words, Hoshino just laughed it away and it made Kaiba's gut wrench. "Considering what I'm in possession of, I'd hardly consider it a waste of your time," she countered in an airy tone of voice that made him want to reach through the phone and assault her.

"Numerous STDs? Not interested, thanks," Kaiba sarcastically replied, motioning to Yuugi to grab something to write with, relieved when he didn't ask any questions and simply did as he was told. Kaiba wrote down Ogata's number and clipped instructions to tell the older man to trace his cell phone call immediately. If there was even a chance he could trace it back to her location, it would be worth it. It was a relief to see Yuugi rush out of the room to do so and Kaiba focused more fully on his own conversation.

"You're just as hateful as your father," she cooed, sounding more pleased than disgusted by the similarity. "Sometimes it's hard to believe that you weren't actually blood related."

"Yeah, because being a bastard is hereditary," Kaiba said with a roll of his eyes. Yuugi came back in with his cell phone still on and quickly wrote down on the paper that Ogata was on the other line tracing the call. Kaiba nodded in understanding and continued trying to bait her, knowing that it took time to get such information. "Are you that hard up for attention from assholes that can't stand the sight of you?"

"Maybe I just called to reminisce about our past," Hoshino suggested with another giggle that made Kaiba feel ill.

Swallowing down the bile that was rising, Kaiba said, "I have nothing to say to you, woman."

"You would if you knew that I had your boyfriend," she purred and Kaiba started to feel the pressure returning inside of him when he heard a muffled noise that was made by someone other than her. "He is such a lovely creature, after all."

"My _boyfriend_?" Kaiba scoffed, knowing that he had to play a dangerous line and not seem overly interested. "Clearly you are even stupider than I remembered."

Yuugi looked over at him questioningly, but Kaiba was too busy trying to clamp down on his rising rage to notice. It made Yuugi reach out to Yami and ask if he was with the woman and the answer made his heart sink as he scribbled on the paper that Yami was with the person on the other end of the line. Tugging on Kaiba's sleeve to get him to notice, Yuugi pointed at what he wrote before dashing out of the room so he could tell Ogata the new revelation.

"You have no attachment to Mutou Yami?" she asked in playful disbelief, not convinced in the least. "Then why does he moan your name so beautifully at night?"

The revelation made Kaiba sick with guilt and blind with rage at the thought of her or anyone else seeing Yami in such a state, all the worse because it was his fault the former pharaoh was still there with her. He was ready to come undone thinking about Yami calling out for him and being powerless to do anything about it; it made Kaiba burn with an unfamiliar pain. "What do his unrequited feelings have to do with me?" Kaiba sneered, pacing in the small kitchen as he tried to maintain control. He could not let her know that was getting to him, let alone have her discover Yami's true worth.

"He has a little too much faith that you'll rescue him for me to believe that," she replied and Kaiba could have sworn he heard Yami whimper and shift against the sheets.

"Clearly you're both delusional," Kaiba cruelly said, even though he was clenching the phone so tightly in his hand that he thought it might shatter. "Call his family. Stop wasting my time."

"But they don't have any money and you do," she explained, finally revealing what she wanted from Kaiba. "And I think you'd pay handsomely for his return."

"I wouldn't pay even a single yen for him," Kaiba spat, the lie more painful than he would have thought.

Once again the woman laughed and Kaiba held onto the edge of the sink to prevent himself from lashing out, knowing it would end badly. "So one hundred million yen is out of the question, then? In that case, maybe I should keep him for myself," Hoshino suggested and Kaiba felt his knuckles crack against the stainless steel basin when he heard Yami's muffled growl in the background. "He seems to have some objections to that, but I'm pretty sure I can change his mind. Since you seem to be so disinterested."

Kaiba couldn't bring himself to tell her to do whatever she wanted, because the thought of her touching Yami made his soul burn. He had to play it off, but it was too hard to find the words when he was trying not to explode with rage. "You're really so pathetic that you're hitting on high school boys?" Kaiba taunted, not knowing what else to do. "It's not like they have the bank account to keep you happy anyway."

"That hardly makes a difference with one as pretty as this," she claimed and Kaiba had to close his eyes to try and focus himself as she continued. "Especially if keeping him means getting to you."

"Why would—?"

Interrupting Kaiba's question, Hoshino pointed out, "You haven't hung up on me yet, so clearly you have _some_ interest."

Mentally cursing at her valid point, Kaiba wracked his brain for anything that would help him find a way out of the situation. It was just so hard to work through the anger that was making everything even more difficult. "Why don't you come to my office and we'll discuss it at length?" Kaiba offered, knowing if he could get the woman in his grasps, all would be well once more.

"Give me my money and I'll do anything you want," she countered, making Kaiba feel downright repulsed. "But if you want your little lover back, you better pay unless you want me to show you what a ruthless bitch I really am."

The sound of the dial tone made Kaiba feel the pain of his failure even deeper and he swore he could feel Yami's soothing presence in the depths of his mind trying to prevent him from fully losing it. He was so close to the edge, he could feel the tug on his soul, but he forced himself to stay in control, because what was the use? There was nothing he could do to her from Yuugi's kitchen. Kaiba needed to get out of there, get ahold of Ogata and the rest of his team to see what could be done, but that meant leaving.

When Kaiba turned, he was startled by Jounouchi rushing at him and he instinctually dodged as Yuugi, Anzu, and Mokuba were protesting. "You son of a bitch!" Jounouchi shouted before trying to get at Kaiba again. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"Jounouchi-kun, you don't understand," Yuugi protested, knowing what Kaiba had been trying to accomplish.

"Are you fucking defending him!" Jounouchi hissed, glaring at his best friend with accusation and betrayal. "He says that shit about Yami and you're still sticking up for him?"

Rather than antagonizing Jounouchi further, Kaiba decided it was in his best interest to leave immediately; he knew he was dangerously close to snapping and Yami would be pissed at him for taking it out on the mutt. Trying to focus on getting out of there and handling the more pressing situation, Kaiba brushed past the group and gestured for Mokuba to follow.

"No, you do _not_ get to walk out after that!" Jounouchi howled as he ran after Kaiba and got in front of him. "You're the only one who has the ability to get Yami back and—"

"Get out of my way," Kaiba warned in a threatening tone, knowing that he needed to leave before the situation escalated. He only had getting Yami away from that woman on his mind and every second Jounouchi delayed him was unforgivable.

Instead of taking a step back, Jounouchi took one closer and invaded Kaiba's personal space. "What's the point of having all that money if you won't use it to get him back?" Jounouchi accused, jabbing Kaiba hard in the chest.

It was a question Kaiba had asked himself over and over again, but he still didn't have a satisfactory answer. Kaiba struggled to maintain his silence because he knew that his words would only exacerbate a terrible situation. Rather than diffusing the situation, it only served to make Jounouchi's ire even worse. "You don't even fucking care do you?" Jounouchi sneered, immediately causing the rest of his friends to protest his harshness. "You make us all think you give a damn about him, but you just don't fucking care about him or—"

Kaiba lashed out before he could stop himself, punching Jounouchi square in the jaw with the full force of his rage, knocking the insolent teen to the floor. "I've put up with a lot of your shit, but don't you _dare_ question what I feel for him," Kaiba yelled, "or the lengths I would go to get him back! He means _everything_ to me and I'm not going to stop until he's by my side again!"

Jounouchi held his jaw and stared up in shock, feeling as if he was seeing the teen for the first time when he heard the emotional waiver in Kaiba's voice over Yami. Instead of being outraged by what had happened, Jounouchi could see the pain that was so evident on Kaiba's face. It was easy to see the way that Kaiba was trembling and the haunted look in his eyes; Jounouchi knew that he was suffering, but it was just so hard to see him failing to act when he had the chance to get Yami back. "Shit, I deserved that one," Jounouchi groused as he stood up, still rubbing his jaw.

Kaiba had always thought punching Jounouchi would feel more satisfying than the hollowness that followed. It didn't make him feel any better, but at least the throbbing in his fist gave him something else to focus on in the aftermath. Jounouchi's response surprised Kaiba a bit and he couldn't tell if he was disappointed or not over it not exploding into a full out fight; somehow he didn't think kicking the mutt's ass would be very satisfying under the circumstances.

With the rush of adrenaline subsiding, Kaiba was starting to regret his actions as it wore out what little strength he had managed to recover from earlier in the afternoon. "Fuck this, I'm leaving," Kaiba announced, even though the logical part of his mind was arguing that it was going to be difficult to do that without his car.

"Look, you don't have to leave," Jounouchi protested, feeling even worse for his words.

"It has nothing to do with you," Kaiba shot back, Jounouchi's words only serving as further incentive to get him out of the house. "Mokuba, we're going."

As much as Mokuba wanted to stay, he was too concerned for his brother to disobey or protest. "Yes, nii-sama," Mokuba said before looking at Yuugi with a sad shrug.

"Kaiba-kun," Yuugi tried, not wanting the irate teen on the road when he was so clearly exhausted, "I still have a few—"

"I'll call you," Kaiba interrupted to say, not interested in giving answers with so many people present.

The doorbell interrupted the standoff and Kaiba looked questioningly at Yuugi who only shrugged. Being closest to the door, Kaiba decided to answer it, but not before pulling out his knife and readying himself for any attacker that might be on the other side; he couldn't be too careful anymore. Throwing opening the door open to catch a potential attacker off-guard, Kaiba swore when it was dodged and wondered if maybe he would have a chance to use his knife after all once he saw who it was. Storming out of the house and slamming the door behind him, obscuring himself and Ogata from view, Kaiba swore at the man that he was both irritated to see and yet oddly grateful.

"Before you get all pissy, Yuugi's the one who invited me here," Ogata defended himself as they walked a little ways from the house for some privacy as they went around the back of the shop. "Besides, you needed a ride home anyway."

Rather than antagonizing Ogata, Kaiba pocketed his knife once more and asked, "Well?"

"I traced the call, but it was a burn phone," Ogata started off explaining, wasting no time when his boss was already so worked up over the situation. "She's playing it safe."

"Even if it was a burn phone, you still should have got a location off of it," Kaiba argued, knowing that if they could find the location, then they could find Yami.

"She blocked it somehow," Ogata told his boss with a heavy sigh, frustrated by his own failure. "Tanaka has to be working with her, because there's no way for her to do that without someone like him at her side."

The information made Kaiba grit his teeth as he felt his one viable chance at getting Yami back slip through his fingers. "That's not acceptable!" Kaiba snapped, pacing back and forth as he tried to settle himself.

"No, it's not," Ogata agreed, warily watching his boss react. "Regardless, it's the current situation."

"That's—"

"That's where we currently stand," Ogata harshly interrupted, almost flinching from the withering glare it earned him. "You know she's going to call back to taunt you again, so we'll be better equipped to handle it now that we know she's got Tanaka running interference."

The thought of having to speak to that woman again made Kaiba's stomach turn and he stopped pacing long enough to face Ogata and look at him seriously to ask, "Will you succeed next time?"

"We're going to get him back, Seto," Ogata promised, "and then we'll make their lives hell. That's just how it works."

"Next time," Kaiba warned him, knowing that he couldn't stand for anymore near misses. "Because this doesn't happen again. It _can't_."

Ogata could clearly see the strain it was having on his boss and Ogata once again felt the sharp pang of failure that was almost as painful. "At least you know that he's safe—"

"Don't tell me that he's safe when he's with her!" Kaiba yelled, turning on Ogata in his rage. "Until I get him back—_when_ I get him back—then—"

It pained Ogata to hear the crack in Kaiba's voice, the waver of his fear. He found himself once more trying to hug Kaiba, if only to stop him from his violent pacing. "I didn't mean it like that," Ogata apologized, cursing himself for his bad choice of phrasing.

"Stop hugging me, asshole," Kaiba growled, trying to push away from Ogata's persistence.

"I will when Yami comes back," Ogata agreed, setting off another flurry of curses from his boss.

"What, so you're trying to give me even more incentive? I don't need it, thanks," Kaiba spat, lashing out in his rage and hating how powerless it made him feel when he couldn't get away. He was too tired, too worn out, but that didn't stop him from struggling. "Now let _go_."

"I'm not your enemy, Seto," Ogata softly reminded Kaiba as he let go and stepped back a bit to let his boss feel less trapped.

"What does that have to do with constantly trying to hug me?" Kaiba growled as he straightened his suit of any wrinkles, annoyed at his employee's behavior. "I don't want your _comfort_."

Ogata couldn't help but smile wryly at the comment as he said with a quiet chuckle, "You may not want my comfort or friendship, but you're getting it anyway."

"Do it with a little less hugging and maybe I'll reconsider," Kaiba muttered, wondering when Ogata had gotten so liberal with such contact.

Ogata promised, "I'm not going to stop until we get him back, Seto."

Kaiba didn't like the genuine concern that he saw reflected in Ogata's eyes and it made him look away, wishing it was someone else in front of him. It was all the worse because he knew that Hoshino had Yami and it dredged up old shit from his past that he didn't want to deal with, nor did he have his normal ways of distracting himself. Not only that, but it was just another way Gozaburo had managed to hurt him yet again from the grave and Kaiba was getting fed up with it all. How could one man manage to do so much harm even beyond death? And why did it have to be Yami?

"Seto?" Ogata asked in a concerned tone, wondering what was going on through Kaiba's mind. It was always cause for suspicion whenever the teen quieted down so suddenly, especially given the nature of the conversation.

Looking up at the inky dark expanse of sky, Kaiba felt the oppressive openness of endless space, knowing that Yami was just somewhere beyond him at the moment. It was painful to look into the darkness that his boyfriend bore the name of, seeing it everywhere around him when Yami was nowhere to be found. Kaiba found himself trying to stretch out in his mind, searching for that link that seemed to bond him to the faintest whisper of Yami; it wasn't much, but it was enough when the despair started to set in on him.

While part of Kaiba still found the very concept of it absurd, he couldn't stop himself from hoping that he would feel something—anything—that would let him know he had successfully accessed that shared connection. It was one thing to hear it from Yuugi, but Kaiba wanted to know it for himself, even if it meant doing something so ridiculous. Just when he was about to stop, feeling more absurd and emptier than he could remember before, Kaiba thought he noticed Yami's presence soothing over his agitation and upset, a curling comfort deep inside of himself that was entirely foreign from himself. There were no words, but none were needed in the depths of his soul. Instead, Kaiba just focused on the sensation, embracing it and pressing as close as he knew how; it was an instinctual notion and he was too far gone to question or ignore it.

Ogata swore he saw a glimpse of gold in the shifting darkness before Kaiba collapsed, catching him so he didn't hit the ground. Before he could even call out for help, Yuugi rushed outside and was running over to where they were, furthering Ogata's suspicions as he supported the unconscious teen. "You're going to explain to me why you always seem to know when this happens," Ogata warned Yuugi as he approached, not liking the shared secret that seemed to be affecting Kaiba's health. "Because this is bullshit and I don't like it."

Clutching the heavy chain that supported the Millennium Puzzle, Yuugi said, "I don't think that I can." It was a mystery to Yuugi why Kaiba was starting to react when there was so much distance between himself and the Millennium Item, or how Yami was reaching him across such great distances without the physical link the ancient artifact created between them. He knew that Yami was trying to conserve his strength and minimize their connection, but it just seemed like he couldn't help himself when it came to Kaiba; it was as sweet as it was disconcerting, because it had to be pretty bad for the former pharaoh to feel the need to act under those circumstances. He could still feel Yami actively through their connection, but the flicker of presence that Yuugi was growing to understand that was Kaiba had disappeared quickly, which had sent him running outside to check on his friend. "What happened?"

"He looked up at the sky and passed out," Ogata explained as he stooped down to pick his boss up into a less awkward hold. "I'm taking him home and getting him checked out by a doctor."

"No, you're leaving him here," Mokuba announced, startling both of them as he walked closer with an air of authority that was proof of his identity as a Kaiba. Yuugi had given him a rushed explanation that involved both Kaiba and Yami's names, which was enough justification to Mokuba when combined with the Millennium Puzzle's activation when there was no immediate danger present.

"Mokuba-chan, he's—" Ogata started to protest, but it fell on deaf ears.

"He's staying here," Mokuba forcefully interrupted, knowing that was what his brother would want. It was too easy for Ogata to disobey them at the mansion and have doctors come to assess the situation, which would only make things worse. "Take him upstairs."

Frowning down at the younger teen, Ogata argued, "I think he needs a doctor to—"

"I think you need to do as you're told," Mokuba coldly ordered, giving Ogata flashbacks of the younger Kaiba he had once known as a kid. "I doubt even you would want to deal with the fallout once he wakes up and finds out you disobeyed him."

Holding Kaiba tighter to his chest, Ogata conceded only because of the utter conviction in Mokuba's eyes. The boy wanted nothing but the best for his older brother and realistically he would be the first to seek out help for the elder Kaiba if something was wrong; Ogata just had to trust that it wasn't a mistake. "It's on your head," Ogata warned, not liking the decision he was making. "I still think you should call a doctor."

Mokuba said nothing as he led the way into the house, leaving Yuugi to deal with the group's questions of who the man carrying Kaiba upstairs was. He wasn't completely clear on what was happening himself, but he would trust in his older brother and it was enough to know that it would come out alright in the end. It felt like a violation to have Ogata in Yami's room, but there was no other choice but to direct the older man to lay Kaiba out on the bed.

The complete lack of reaction was deeply troubling to Ogata and he looked over at Mokuba, hoping against all odds that he would start explaining. Rather than giving answers, Mokuba ordered Ogata, "Don't tell anyone about this—not even Isono, got it? No one is to know about what happened."

"What, the Seto keeps passing out after he moves the shadows and his eyes flash gold?" Ogata mockingly countered, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of Mokuba that would give him a clue about what was going on with Kaiba. "It's happened twice in one day, Mokuba-chan. Care to tell me why the hell you aren't worried sick over it?"

The details about how Yami and Kaiba were managing to communicate through the Millennium Puzzle was lost on Mokuba, but he knew enough to understand that was what was most likely responsible for the incidents. If it meant his brother had access to Yami's mind and even the slightest chance of finding out hints about the locations and people that had led the kidnapping, then Mokuba knew that Kaiba would stop at nothing to get those precious details, including sacrificing his own health. "You are not to interfere," Mokuba warned, knowing that his brother would punish Ogata harshly. Of course, the real question was how Ogata knew the details he did. "So stop asking questions."

"You're acting like I'm a complete outsider," Ogata complained, his helplessness mixing with his irritation. "I'm just trying to help."

"You can help by maintaining your silence," Mokuba replied, once again shocking Ogata with the callousness that he was used to seeing from the older Kaiba brother. "This is beyond you."

"Try me," Ogata challenged, hoping it was a technique that worked as well on the younger brother as it did on the elder.

Looking up at Ogata and smirking knowingly, Mokuba chided, "That's not going to work on me."

"Works on your brother," Ogata countered, earning him a laugh that quickly slid into a concerned expression. "Seriously, there has to be something that can be done."

"The only thing that will help him now is getting Yami back," Mokuba wisely commented, knowing that these sorts of episodes didn't happen when the former pharaoh was present. "If you want to help, then find Yami."

"I'm trying, Mokuba-chan," Ogata insisted, his attention drawn back down to Kaiba when the older teen stirred slightly at the mention of his brother's name. "We all are."

"Yeah, well trying isn't getting him back fast enough," Mokuba growled, his words colored dark by his own inherent guilt. If he had been strong enough, then he could have stopped it all from happening, but it was too late for that now.

It bothered Ogata to see the younger Kaiba so upset almost as much as it did to see the elder one. "We're working on it," Ogata reassured him Mokuba, not wanting to give any actual details for fear of saying more than Kaiba was comfortable letting his younger brother know.

"Not fast enough," Mokuba commented with a frown as he watched his older brother suffer in sleep.

"Everything will be back to normal," Ogata promised as he gestured for Mokuba to come closer. "Your brother, Yami, everything will be fine."

Hiding his face against Ogata's chest and trying not to cry again, Mokuba whispered, "It has to," as he forced himself to believe in the convictions of others.

* * *

**A/N:** There's a lot of important stuff going down in this chapter, so hopefully you enjoyed this long one!

Still working my way through the backlog of review replies, but I'm determined to get caught up soon! I've gotten some really amazing responses to this fic and I'm looking forward to many fascinating discussions that are being spawned from this adventure.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Hopefully it'll be of some use. But, in the meantime," Sakaguchi said as he put a box on Kaiba's desk, "this should help."_

The new update will be posted on **Sunday, January 16th** and I look forward to your reactions to this pivotal chapter in the meantime!


	12. Chapter 12: Reminder

**A/N: **I've said this before, but it bears repeating. **I can't reply to anonymous reviews unless you leave an address.** Some of you have been asking questions and I hate not being able to reply because I can't reach you. So if you want a response, please leave a way to contact you!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Reminder**

Every time Kaiba woke up without Yami at his side, it was an unpleasantly disorienting experience and it made the hollowness within him grow deeper by the day. He kept expecting Yami to come back and join him in bed, but it never happened. Kaiba was reminded of a naivety that he didn't know he still possessed and he hated the crushing disappointment that followed when he realized just how painfully alone he was. It had made him curl in on himself as he lay on Yami's bed, inhaling the smells that made him feel so close and yet even farther away than before.

He had spoken to Yuugi briefly in between periods of unconsciousness, finding out that Yami had preemptively made him fall asleep to "help" him. How that was even remotely helpful was beyond him; all it meant was that Kaiba was rendered incapable of immediately acting on the links Hoshino had provided. Still, it was hard to remain bitter when it meant that even for a few moments he had been able to physically feel and know that Yami was okay, that the woman hadn't done anything harmful to him yet.

The extra time at Yuugi's house had also meant they had talked at length. It was a conversation that needed to happen, but Kaiba would have avoided the awkward exchange if at all possible. Yuugi was unfailingly patient and that made it too easy to hedge; it was Kaiba's own fault that things had dragged on as long as they had. It was somewhat of a relief to know that Yuugi and his grandfather didn't blame him for what had happened or the delay in getting Yami back, but it didn't make Kaiba feel any better about the situation. He wouldn't feel okay about anything until Yami was safely returned to the place he belonged.

The only other benefit besides the rest he so desperately needed was that the incident had made Ogata scarce. Kaiba wasn't entirely sure what Mokuba had told the older man, but he was damn proud of his little brother for pulling off intimidating to the point of making Ogata keep his distance for the time being. He wasn't naïve enough to believe that it was a permanent thing, but the reprieve was much needed. Kaiba just didn't have the energy to devote to coming up with an alternative plan for what he could say that would logically make sense for Ogata to explain the passing out incidents.

Not only did it lead to difficult questions that didn't have sensible answers, but it was just uncomfortable to admit to such weakness. He hated being rendered useless for so long afterward, but if it was that or having concrete firsthand knowledge on Yami's status, it wasn't a difficult decision.

Despite the forced distance, Ogata had been funneling him with information on the Tanaka connection, but so far there had been no real leads. It had been three days since the phone call with Hoshino, over a week since Yami had been taken, and every delay became an increasingly crushing defeat. Still, Kaiba would not rest until Yami had been returned and he wouldn't stop until the bitch and all of her minions had suffered the worst kind of hell in punishment for their transgressions. By the time he was through with them, no one would ever dare harm Yami again for fear of the ensuing revenge that would follow. No, he would show no mercy to them, even if Yami himself begged for it; they would suffer endlessly for what they had done.

Every day that Yami was gone, Kaiba started to lose a little more of his grip every night. He was on the verge of desperation in a downright shameful way, but Kaiba didn't care as long as he got Yami back, as long as his boyfriend was safe from harm and back in his arms. Then the emptiness would disappear, the constant pressure in his chest, the continual stress of nerves would all go away once Yami was back and that was what Kaiba had to focus on to save himself from going mad.

Besides, it wasn't just for himself anymore. He needed Yami back so that Mokuba could find his closure and move on from the incident, so that the Yuugi-tachi could resume their normal dynamics, so that the Mutou family could quit being so incomplete. There had to be something that could be done and Kaiba was determined to find it as soon as possible. However, he realistically couldn't dedicate all of his time to hunting for Yami himself; Hoshino was clearly monitoring his actions and to do so would be suspicious. Thus, Kaiba had to continue functioning as if everything were normal, as if his boyfriend had no meaning for him and his daily functional existence.

That meant Kaiba had to attend school when he didn't want to in order to keep up appearances. It was providing exceedingly difficult to do because every time he looked over to where Yami was supposed to be, it was another slap of failure in the face, another reminder of just how badly he had fucked up in his role as protector. They had managed to hold off the school's suspicions by saying that Yami had returned to Egypt for a family emergency, but they were starting to push the limits of the school's patience because it had already been so long. If it continued, Kaiba was going to have to ask Ogata to fabricate some documents giving them new excuses and he was loathe to do so, even though he knew the older man would be quick to assist him in the endeavor.

It was only because there was no one left at Kaiba Corporation with access to his office that Kaiba allowed himself to slump forward onto his desk and rest his head on his pillowed arms while he closed his eyes. The weight of it all was crushing him, the pressure almost physically hurting as each day and night dragged by without Yami's return. It was taking its toll on him and his stress was only magnified by what it was doing to his younger brother. Every time he saw Mokuba laughing and enjoying himself, only to see that youthful expression slide into a morose sadness, it just gnawed at Kaiba. There was nothing Kaiba could do to absolve Mokuba of his guilt except for find Yami and bring him back, but it was proving an impossible task. How hard was it to find one woman? Why did she constantly end up eluding their efforts? What else could he do to get Yami back?

His failure was as exhausting as it was frustrating and Kaiba was just sick of his own incompetency. It was hurting Mokuba, harming Yami, and wrecking Kaiba's peace of mind. He was starting to unravel at an almost shameful rate and punching Jounouchi earlier was further proof of that. It was just lucky for him that the friendship brigade was always so forgiving, although it still confounded him how Anzu could praise the merits of friendship and support his decision to hit the mutt. Then again, after putting up with Jounouchi for as long as she had, Kaiba was confident that even someone like her had wanted to punch him in the mouth for his constant spewing of stupidity she was forced to endure in the name of friendship.

Although Kaiba was distracted by his thoughts, he immediately heard when someone entered the room. The familiarity of the footfalls was the only things that prevented him from immediately grabbing for his weapon, but he still pretended to be asleep if only to avoid the awkward conversation he knew was going to happen otherwise.

"So when were you going to tell me?" Sakaguchi asked in a quiet voice that was free of accusation.

Playing dumb was beneath him, but damned if it didn't seem like a tempting idea in the face of an unwanted confrontation. "The plan was to get him back before there was a need to tell anyone," Kaiba muttered, feeling the waves of failure washing over him once again in a painful crash, "but _apparently_ Ogata can't keep his damn mouth shut."

"You should have come to me sooner," Sakaguchi commented, remaining expressionless when Kaiba sat up properly and glared hatefully at him for his words.

"And tell you what? That I lost him?" Kaiba harshly demanded as narrowed his eyes in irritation.

"When it involves someone like Hoshino, yes," Sakaguchi countered, completely nonplussed by the anger that was being aimed at him.

Kaiba's first angry retort died in his throat as he realized that Sakaguchi had been around when that woman was and might have had some pertinent information. Feeling foolish for not better utilizing his resources, Kaiba guardedly asked, "What are you implying?"

"I still remember a few of the places that she used to live and hang out at, so I passed them along to Katsuro-chan to check out," Sakaguchi explained, making Kaiba curse in annoyance at himself. "I don't know if any of the information will pan out since it's been a few years, but I figured it couldn't hurt."

"Thanks," Kaiba gruffly said, a new guilt eating away at him.

"Hopefully it'll be of some use. But, in the meantime," Sakaguchi said as he put a box on Kaiba's desk, "this should help."

As soon as Kaiba opened it, he could smell the food inside and it made him look up at Sakaguchi with a frown as he asked, "Why do people keep trying to feed me now?"

"Because we know that you're running yourself into the ground over this," Sakaguchi gently explained, even though he was curious who else had been cooking for him. "You need to keep up your strength, especially if you're dealing with a woman like her."

Reluctantly taking out the dinner, Kaiba mumbled a word of thanks before he started eating. It was so typical of Sakaguchi to do something like that, knowing if he made one of his favorite dishes, Kaiba wouldn't be able to turn it down without raising serious suspicions. It made him feel a little bit better when Sakaguchi pulled out food for himself to eat so that Kaiba wasn't the only one, but that meant for a longer conversation. "So is there anything else I need to know?"

"I had Nakamura-san come up with a new desert for Mokuba-chan when he feels up to it," Ogata informed Kaiba, "and I also have dinner for you to take home to him tonight."

"Appreciated," Kaiba said, knowing that just like he had been successfully bribed, so too would Mokuba.

"There's a tart in there for you, too," Sakaguchi added, knowing that Kaiba's sweet tooth wasn't anywhere close to his brother's or Yami's.

Thinking it over while he ate, Kaiba finally decided, "When he gets back, the three of us will come to dinner."

Arching an eyebrow at that, Sakaguchi couldn't help but ask, "_Really_?" It was a little surprising to hear because Kaiba had always been so careful to keep his time with Yami and Mokuba separate at the restaurant.

"They do get along with each other," Kaiba replied with a hint of a smirk that quickly disappeared into sadness. "That's half the reason we're in this mess."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Because they were both too busy worrying about protecting each other to worry about themselves," Kaiba muttered with a heavy sigh.

_They were worrying about protecting you_, Sakaguchi realized, but he didn't dare voice the thought out loud for fear of adding to Kaiba's already oppressive guilt. Instead, Sakaguchi tried to keep the conversation light as they finished their dinner, doing his best to help out Kaiba in whatever way he was allowed.

* * *

"Nii-sama, you're back early!" Mokuba exclaimed as he came bounding into the kitchen were Kaiba was waiting. It was a pleasant surprise considering the late hours his brother had been pulling in the hopes of finding Yami.

"Have you eaten?" Kaiba asked as he gestured with the bag Sakaguchi had given him. "Sakaguchi-san dropped this off at my office for you."

Mokuba's eyes went wide with his joy at the rare treat and he scampered over to the table while answering, "No, I was too busy finishing up my homework."

_He gets it honest_, Kaiba realized with a shake of his head as he brought the food over and joined Mokuba at the table. "Do you want a plate?"

"It probably won't last long enough to even make it to a plate," Mokuba joked, making a happy noise when he saw that it was one of his favorite dishes. "What about you, nii-sama?"

"I ate with him while we talked," Kaiba explained, feeling bad at the slightly crestfallen look on his brother's face. "But he made us both desert."

Kaiba pulled them out and set them on the table, causing Mokuba to exclaim, "I don't even know what that is and I want to eat it!"

"It's Nakamura's interpretation of a seven layer Vienna chocolate torte, apparently," Kaiba explained, "although what makes it different is beyond me."

"What about you?" Mokuba asked as he started eating in earnest while Kaiba got up to get drinks for them both.

"Sakaguchi-san made me a sweet potato chocolate tart or something," Kaiba answered as he returned to the table with drinks and napkins.

Making a face at the description, Mokuba questioned, "How can you make a desert out of sweet potatoes? What do you do, pour chocolate syrup over a baked potato?"

Chuckling at the gross description, Kaiba said, "We're about to find out," as he opened the box with his desert in it. Rather than being orange like he had expected, it was almost a light beige color, clearly three layers to the tart and chocolate flakes on the end to serve as a crust of sorts. Hesitantly taking a bite of it, Kaiba chewed it thoughtfully as he tried to figure out what it actually tasted like.

"How is it?" Mokuba asked as he looked closer at the desert.

"I don't really know," Kaiba truthfully replied, taking another bite in the hopes that it would help him decided what flavor it was. "It doesn't taste like potato, but it's pretty good."

"It looks good," Mokuba agreed, wanting to try a bite of it.

"You can try it when you're done," Kaiba promised, cutting off a piece of the end to save for his brother to eat once he finished dinner.

"Awesome!" Mokuba exclaimed, grateful for his brother's thoughtfulness. "Thanks, nii-sama."

"Mm," was all Kaiba said as he continued eating the small tart, trying not to feel too disheartened by the thought of how much Yami would have enjoyed it if he had been there with them.

* * *

**A/N:** I know this may seem like a lull in the action, but we're getting ready to build up to the major turning point soon.

Your responses to the last chapter were really great and I really appreciate how everyone is rallying behind this one. I know the pacing is a bit different from my normal work and there are some concerns about Yami, but all I ask is for some faith in the characters and this authoress. I don't believe in damsels in distress and this story certainly isn't about that. So fear not, I do have a plan and a resolution. It's just taking some time to get there, but we _will _get there, promise.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Kaiba demanded, hearing the underlying threat present in Bakura's tone._

Bet you were wondering when he was going to show up, ne? *wicked grin*

I'll be posting the encounter on **Sunday, January 23rd**, but it goes beyond just Bakura. Until then, enjoy!


	13. Chapter 13: Unexpected

**Chapter 13: Unexpected**

"You're certainly out of it," an unwanted voice too close to his ear said, causing Kaiba to jerk out of his thoughts and back to the present situation. He was alone in the classroom except for the person behind him, causing him to stiffen when he felt Bakura's breath on the back of his neck.

"Don't start with me," Kaiba warned as he got out of his seat to prevent himself from becoming an easy target, turning to face the albino teen.

Straightening up and smirking knowingly at Kaiba, Bakura countered, "But I've never finished with you, priest."

Knowing that a confrontation would be a mistake, Kaiba was determined to escape without further issue if at all possible. Words only antagonized Bakura further, so Kaiba gathered his things and tried to slip away without saying anything; he was too tired for a real confrontation and he didn't want to be taken advantage of because he was less than one hundred percent. Unfortunately, silence infuriated Bakura just as easily as unwanted words and he questioned, "Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet."

When Bakura's hand wrapped around Kaiba's wrist and stopped him, it made the brunette growl despite his efforts not to make a sound. He burned unpleasantly at the touch, hating the whisper of ancient memories that started to stir at the contact point. "Lose your pharaoh?" Bakura taunted, narrowing his eyes at the look of Kaiba's disgust.

There were all sorts of angry and pithy answers that Kaiba could snarl at Bakura, but the thing he was struck most by was the fact that the Yuugi-tachi hadn't filled Ryou in for fear of the ancient spirit he hosted finding out about the truth. _So even they can lie_, Kaiba realized with a start, but he quickly focused himself. He knew that Bakura had nothing to do with Yami's disappearance, so he refused to let himself rise and take the bait—even if lashing out at someone who deserved it was more tempting than it should have been.

The silent treatment had always been effective against Bakura when the priest managed to use it against him and he was angered to see that the same was true with Kaiba in the present. Bakura liked fighting against that hot temper, but Kaiba was denying him at the very time he should have been quickest to anger; it was confusing. "Where's the pharaoh?" Bakura demanded, his grip tightening on Kaiba's wrist that he had yet to relinquish.

"Why do you care?" Kaiba asked, his voice harsh as he glared at Bakura. The need for Yami's return made Kaiba momentarily wonder if perhaps Bakura's past as a thief would be useful in stealing the former pharaoh back from Hoshino, but he couldn't let himself to think such things. Kaiba had seen Seto make that mistake in the past and he refused to take that chance with such a disgusting outcome possible; he would never allow himself to be indebted to Bakura again in any lifetime. "It's not like you're planning on doing anything about it."

"If I told you I would," Bakura challenged, taking a step closer into Kaiba's personal space.

"Then you'd be lying," Kaiba growled, wanting to take two steps back and refusing to do so on principle. "I have no use for your pathetic excuse for assistance."

"Oh yes, because you've done _so_ much better on your own," Bakura sarcastically replied, making Kaiba's face burn from the slap of truth in his words.

The look of pained shame on Kaiba's face brought back all sorts of memories about the priest and Bakura used his free hand to brush his fingers against that heated flesh that made him burn inside as the contact shot through him. "I'll help you get him back, Seto," Bakura offered, savoring the look of shock that flitted through confused and enraged blue eyes.

"_Why_?" Kaiba accidentally questioned, unable to stop the word from escaping him.

"I have my reasons," Bakura cryptically answered with a shrug, not fighting it when Kaiba finally pulled away from him. "What difference does it make if you get your precious little pharaoh back?"

Free at last from Bakura's grasps, Kaiba shot back, "Stay out of it," as he started walking toward the exit.

"You'll change your mind soon enough," Bakura promised, smirking when it made Kaiba stop and turn around to face him once more.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaiba demanded, hearing the underlying threat present in Bakura's tone.

Grinning wolfishly, Bakura merely laughed it off with a cruel, "Depends on how much longer you make him wait, doesn't it?"

The words struck fear through Kaiba and he swallowed down his nervousness as he pushed aside his irrational concerns. He struggled against his soul's instinctive shiver of fear and Kaiba growled threateningly when Bakura continued, "Do you remember what happened when that man stole him back then?"

A question about what man Bakura was referring to was quick to respond, but Kaiba bit back the answer, not wanting to go any further with the conversation. "That has nothing to do with this," Kaiba harshly replied, unable to completely maintain his silence.

"I helped get him back for you then," Bakura pointed out, "so why would you think I couldn't do the same now?"

"Because that was then and this is now," Kaiba answered, not wanting any part of his pasts to connect. "I'm not as weak as that idiotic priest and—"

"—and yet you are still without your pharaoh in two lifetimes," Bakura harshly interrupted, relishing the look of pain that Kaiba failed to completely repress. "You shouldn't be so quick to ignore your history, Seto. It would save you in situations like these."

Bakura was approaching him once more, a swagger in his hips that was temporarily superimposed with an image of the linen skirt outfit he was wore in the past. "That past has nothing to do with this!" Kaiba insisted, warily watching Bakura draw closer.

"Still couldn't hurt," Bakura countered as he reached out to Kaiba, only to be rebuffed. "I'm pretty sure the same methods of comfort would work, even if we don't have an excuse for a campfire."

Kaiba's first retort was lost in a flash of fire in his mind, echoes of forgotten moans drifting from the forbidden couple that dared to disturb the darkness. "Stop it," Kaiba commanded, unsure if he was telling his mind or Bakura to cease such disturbing thoughts from stirring; either way, neither was inclined to obey him. He didn't need to see the priest's transgressions of the flesh with the thief, but the memory played out with disturbing details that Kaiba fought to avoid; he didn't want to know. "I will do no such thing!"

"That's what he said," Bakura replied with a chuckle, "but we both know how well that turned out, don't we?"

Kaiba was spared from answering by Yuugi entering the room with a startled sound before he awkwardly stammered, "K-Kaiba-kun, I needed to—uhm, talk with you?"

Even though it was shameful to feel so relieved at the interruption, Kaiba rejoiced in the small victory. "I'm done here," Kaiba informed Yuugi with a hard glare at Bakura to dissuade him from further comment.

"Don't forget my offer," Bakura said, smirking at the slight snarl of Kaiba's lips.

"Stay out of it," Kaiba warned before turning around and leaving with Yuugi, his flesh crawling at the thought of Bakura's eyes raking over his form while he walked away.

* * *

"Is everything okay?" Kaiba asked once they got a safe distance from the classroom and away from Bakura.

"I don't know, is it?" Yuugi questioned, looking up at Kaiba. He was getting a little better at reading his former rival, but Bakura's interactions with him were still such a mystery to him. "Bakura-kun seems to be causing problems again."

"He's the least of my concerns," Kaiba reassured the shorter teen, speaking the truth. Bakura was nothing when compared with the real threat that Hoshino and her retinue posed to them currently. "He's just running off his mouth because he doesn't have to worry about Yami doing anything about it right now."

"Are you okay?" Yuugi asked before he could stop himself. The withering glare he received made him shrink back a little with a nervous laugh, trying not to take it too personally since he was pretty sure that Kaiba was still riled up from his encounter with Bakura. "Sorry, I just meant—"

Not interested in hearing anymore on the subject, Kaiba dismissed it, "Don't worry about it," and that was the end of it. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

"Nothing," Yuugi said, surprising Kaiba as they walked toward the lockers. "I just saw the two of you together and I thought an intervention might be useful since it looked pretty tense."

"How long were you standing there?" Kaiba asked, not knowing if he would like the answer or not. He didn't like thinking that Yuugi overheard or oversaw things that were best left alone.

Unwilling to lie to his friend, Yuugi explained, "Whenever you told him that you wouldn't do whatever it was that he wanted you to do. I really didn't see or hear anything."

It was the slightest bit of relief to hear, but Kaiba still felt deeply unsettled by the encounter and the fact that there were any witnesses involved—let alone one who could tell Yami about what had transpired. "Don't tell Yami," Kaiba ordered, not wanting to compound his boyfriend's problems, knowing how he reacted whenever the thief was involved. "I don't know how you block it from your end, but he can't know anything about it, understood?"

Even though Yuugi would normally feel bad about hiding such things from his counterpart, he understood in this situation and actually agreed with Kaiba. It would stress Yami out and accomplish nothing productive, so just this once Yuugi thought it might be okay to hide the truth under such circumstances. "I promise," Yuugi said with a small smile, hoping that it would at least ease some of Kaiba's worries.

"Thanks," Kaiba brusquely replied, grateful that Yuugi was willing to help him in such a situation. It was still uncomfortable for him to rely on anyone in such a manner, but he was gradually learning that it was okay to trust his one-time rival. After all, it was in Yami's best interests and Kaiba had no doubts that Yuugi would do anything for him.

Parting briefly at their lockers, it was a bit of a relief since it allowed Kaiba the space to collect his thoughts after such a disturbing encounter. Opening his locker, Kaiba was shocked to see a box tied in a light blue cloth with white edges. He was instantly suspicious until Yuugi came over and laughed before abruptly interrupting himself when Kaiba glared at him. "What's this?" Kaiba demanded, wondering if Yuugi had anything to do with it.

"It's a bento," Yuugi explained, hiding the identity of the maker. He had seen Anzu with multiple bento boxes this morning, but he hadn't realized she had made one for Kaiba as well as themselves.

"Who the hell would leave that in my locker?" Kaiba muttered, studying it without touching the package. When Yuugi answered only with a knowing grin, it made Kaiba realize that the shorter teen knew more than he was letting on about it. "What do you know about this?"

"It's safe to eat," Yuugi promised, finding it really sweet that his girlfriend cared enough about Kaiba to make him something, too.

"And you know this how?" Kaiba demanded, but didn't receive anything more than a Cheshire grin as a reply. "Wait, did your _girlfriend_ make me lunch?"

Yuugi erupted in peals of laughter and Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him in annoyance. He was startled when Anzu's voice pointed out to him, "It's probably dinner for you at this point."

"Breakfast if you want to get technical," Kaiba muttered as he watched her lean against the lockers.

"That's even worse," Anzu chided him with a disapproving look that made even Yuugi sober up a little.

"Yeah, well," Kaiba defensively said with a shrug, not feeling as if he needed to justify himself to her.

Knowing that any speech she had about why Kaiba needed to take better care of himself would instantly be rejected and ignored, Anzu chose a different way of handling it instead. "If you hate it, I won't do it again," Anzu promised, knowing that he would react to it as if it were a challenge.

"Whatever," Kaiba said, not agreeing one way or the other. He still found the whole thing strange, but Yuugi didn't seem to have any objections to what was happening.

"Normal people say, 'Thanks,' you know," Anzu teased him, not the least bit offended. It was honestly a better answer than she had been expecting, especially since he hadn't yet questioned how she had managed to get the food in his locker without him knowing about it.

"You should know well enough by now that I'm far from normal," Kaiba sarcastically replied, taking out the bento box and grabbing the two books he needed for that night's homework.

"We wouldn't have it any other way," she replied with a fond smile that made him pause for a moment before shutting his locker door.

The whole encounter was throwing him off his pace, but Kaiba just blamed it as the fallout from Bakura's earlier conversation. "Right," Kaiba awkwardly said before he started to leave. "Later."

"Have a good day at work," Yuugi brightly said with a wave, a sentiment echoed by Anzu.

Kaiba merely said, "Mm," before walking away, trying not to think too deeply on the incident or how weird it was to be carrying a homemade lunch to his office.

* * *

To say that Kaiba was surprised that the bento was filled with nothing but food he liked would have been a monumental understatement. He was actually impressed with Anzu's thoughtfulness of meal planning and the way that she had balanced it to his tastes while still being mindful that his appetite wasn't entirely what it used to be. How she knew what his favorite type of onigiri was remained a mystery and it almost made him want to ask her about it if it wasn't so horribly embarrassing to do so. Assuming that Yami had passed along the information at some point was good enough for Kaiba, so he let it go for once.

It was moments like that when Kaiba was reminded that people like Anzu legitimately considered him a friend, something which was an exceedingly foreign concept to him. He had always been a bit kinder to her, but it was only because she had repeatedly stood up for Mokuba and protected him to an extent that made him feel like his little brother was safe with her fierce loyalty on his side. Not only that, but he had never forgotten how she had sacrificed herself to free Mokuba when the kidnappers had absconded with him to a warehouse during the Battle City tournament. Then there was the fact that Anzu wasn't afraid to stand up to him for what she believed in and he couldn't help but begrudgingly admire the sheer gumption it took to face him down and maintain their convictions. More than that, she was just such a genuinely caring person that Kaiba didn't know how to act around her; she accepted him unconditionally despite how horrible he had been to all of them originally.

He used to think Anzu as a really annoyingly loud cheerleader, but the more time he had spent over with Yami at Yuugi's place while she was there had helped reform his opinion of her. She was actually low key whenever it was just them and it wasn't nearly as painful to hold a conversation with her as he had once thought. Even though his opinion of her had improved, he still couldn't help but feel that she was an idiot for not being mad at him over Yami being kidnapped and for so long at that. Her willingness to forgive everything and look on the brighter side of things was rather astounding in its consistency.

Slowly eating the food that was better than he had anticipated, Kaiba focused on his work. He had allowed himself to get behind in his concern for Yami, but he couldn't afford to let things fall by the wayside in his grief. Besides, if he threw himself into his work, it helped distract him for at least a little while that Yami was still missing.

Kaiba didn't know how much time passed before he heard his door open and he glared at the uninvited intruder. Ogata looked at the bento box with curiosity, distracted from his main point enough to ask, "Did you get a new maid or something?"

"No," Kaiba coldly replied, feeling strangely self-conscious for being caught with the meal.

"What, got yourself a new girlfriend?" Ogata teased, instantly regretting it the second the words were out of his mouth. "Shit, I didn't mean that—"

"I don't care, get out," Kaiba ordered.

Sighing heavily, Ogata persisted, "Seriously, you know I didn't mean it like that. I was just—"

"Exercising your poor judgment yet again," Kaiba interrupted him with a fierce glare. "_Leave_."

Holding up his hands in surrender, Ogata explained, "I just came to give you an update on the situation." When Kaiba looked at him pointedly in silence, Ogata took it as permission to continue. "I'm still working on finding the link to Tanaka."

"And?" Kaiba harshly pressed, tired of hearing non-answers and inconclusive leads that went nowhere at all.

"And I just wanted to let you know," Ogata informed him, the words sounding lame even to his ears.

"What about the leads Sakaguchi-san provided for you?" Kaiba asked, coldly staring at Ogata and relishing the peeved look he was causing.

"I'm still looking into it, but nothing has—"

There was nothing new or useful in the information, so Kaiba once again commanded, "Then get the hell out of my sight."

Ogata started to protest, but the look of sheer exhaustion on Kaiba's face made him stop. "As you wish," Ogata finally consented with a sigh, not willing to push the point where there was nothing he could give Kaiba to act on when it came to Yami. "You know where to find me."

Kaiba didn't say anything as Ogata left and instead just focused on finishing his work, slowly eating at the bento while he passed the time by reviewing reports.

* * *

The original plan had been to pick up Mokuba and drop off the empty bento box at Yuugi's place, but Anzu had been there as well as Honda. Although Kaiba found it strange that Jounouchi was once again absent, he wasn't willing to question a good thing.

Anzu welcomed him into the house and he held out the empty bento box, informing her, "I washed it," and wondering if it sounded half as awkward as it felt.

Smiling brightly as she accepted the neatly wrapped box, she asked, "I'm assuming that means you ate it?"

"Yes," Kaiba confirmed, shutting the door behind him and sliding off his shoes and entering the house properly.

"I figured even your pride couldn't resist some of your favorite foods," Anzu teased as they headed toward the kitchen.

"How did you know?" Kaiba asked, still finding it strange.

"The powers of observation," Anzu answered in a lofty voice before giggling as she sat down the empty box on the counter next to hers and Yuugi's.

Arching an eyebrow at her comment, Kaiba informed her, "Why bother?"

"Because there's only so much Duel Monsters that I can take," she conspiratorially confided in him, her eyes bright with amusement.

"What does that have to do with knowing what I like to eat?"

"Nothing, it's just the kind of person I am," she defended with a shrug, knowing that he wouldn't get it even if she explained it plainly. "I'm just thrilled you didn't hate it."

His normal brusque and cruel attitude felt inappropriate with her, so he forced himself to say, "It was good, thank you. Unnecessary, but…"

Anzu's eyes went wide at the compliment, shocked beyond belief that he actually said anything at all, let alone something akin to praise. "I'm glad," she finally replied with a bright smile, amused by the rare glimpse of shy civility she was seeing from him.

"Mm," was all Kaiba replied with, annoyed with himself for feeling so awkward. "I still don't get why people keep trying to feed me, though…"

Kaiba was saved when Mokuba came bounding into the kitchen, hugging his older brother tightly. "Hey, nii-sama. Ready to go?" Mokuba asked, smiling up at his brother.

"Whenever you are," Kaiba replied, not minding staying a little later if his brother wanted it since Jounouchi wasn't there to irritate him.

With a final nod at Anzu, Kaiba allowed himself to be led into the living room, grateful that Mokuba sounded more like his normal, joyful self even if it was only for a little while.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the lateness of this one. I was away all weekend and didn't have a chance to post until now. As a result, I'll be answering reviews later since it's after 4AM for me. I still look forward to your reviews, especially since I think quite a few of you have been curious about the burgeoning friendship between Anzu and Kaiba. Plus, I suspect that the Bakura exchange wasn't quite what any of us were expecting.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Gritting his teeth and reminding himself that it was too important for him to act spiteful, Ogata yelled, "Damn it, Seto! I found Yami!"_

And the plot thickens!

The next update will be posted on **Sunday, January 30th** and things are really starting to pick up finally...


	14. Chapter 14: News

**Chapter 14: News**

Ogata's heart was pounding with a mixture of anxiety, anger, and adrenaline as he stormed out of the elevator onto the floor of Kaiba's office. The secretary looked up in surprise since there were no scheduled appointments, although she was far from shocked at the person's identity. "I'm sorry, Ogata-san, but—" she started to say, but he walked right past her and threw open Kaiba's door.

Kaiba didn't jump at the noise and sudden intrusion, but he narrowed his eyes at Ogata. The lack of reaction from Kaiba only served to irritate Ogata more and he angrily demanded, "What the fuck is so much more important than me, asshole?"

Standing up and glaring at Ogata, Kaiba sounded dangerously controlled when he asked, "You _dare_ to speak to me that way, Ogata?"

Too pissed to care, Ogata shot back, "Yes, I do dare, because the only other person who would, can't. So answer my damn question, Seto!"

Kaiba's rage and hurt were all begging for an outlet and it was so tempting to take it out on Ogata. He was tired of all the non-answers and interruptions from his annoying employee and his temper was dangerously close to fraying. Knowing that any further provocation would result in him snapping, Kaiba icily ordered, "Get the hell out of my office."

"No! You refuse to take my calls and—"

"And yet you didn't get the hint," Kaiba interrupted with a snarl, approaching his edge.

Slamming the door shut to prove a point, Ogata came closer as he told Kaiba, "You're lucky I like Yami as much as I do, because otherwise I would have left and—"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Shit, you are so fucking dense sometimes!" Ogata swore in frustration. "I mean, did it ever occur to you that I had a _reason_ for calling you so many times? Do you even realize just how badly you fucked up by ignoring me?"

"You overestimate your importance," Kaiba coldly stated, drawing himself up to his full height. "Now get the fuck out before I have you _removed_."

Gritting his teeth and reminding himself that it was too important for him to act spiteful, Ogata yelled, "Damn it, Seto! I found Yami!"

The news hit Kaiba hard and he had to ask for clarification, "_What_?"

"Yeah, _now_ you fucking listen," Ogata bitterly muttered. "I kept calling so that you could join me and we could go ambush them in transit, but—"

"In transit?" Kaiba numbly repeated, slowly realizing with dread and remorse that he had been ignoring Ogata for over three hours since he told his secretary to block Ogata's number.

"They had him in a warehouse by Domino Bay and moved him to Okutama," Ogata explained, somewhat mollified by the barely suppressed look of horror on Kaiba's face.

It sounded like a random location until Kaiba realized, "If they took him to Okutama, that means—"

"That means they took him to Gozaburo's old medical testing facility," Ogata finished, his concern for Yami increasing again. It had formerly been a health spa in a scenic town, but it was nothing but a cover for far more nefarious experiments for Gozaburo.

The news made Kaiba sit back down and for the briefest moment, he wondered if that meant Yami was sick or if they had discovered his secret and wanted to experiment on him. "No," Kaiba weakly whispered, trying not to get ill, "no, they…oh, _god_…"

Ogata's anger all but evaporated when he saw the stricken expression on Kaiba's face. Sighing and walking around the desk to kneel in front of Kaiba to get his attention, Ogata softly said, "Look, feel bad later if you need to. Let's go get him back, Seto."

"I'll get him myself," Kaiba said, still looking shell-shocked.

"Fine," Ogata agreed, "but you're not going without me."

Kaiba wanted to tell Ogata that he didn't need him, but if it weren't for the older man, he never would have known about Yami's relocation. "Hoshino and Tanaka?" Kaiba numbly asked.

"Yes," Ogata confirmed, "and I'm going to make sure you don't massacre them in your rage."

"They deserve worse," Kaiba growled, his anger starting to outweigh his numbed shock.

"Agreed, but later," Ogata insisted. "We'll take my car since it's not traceable to you, okay?"

It was enough to move Kaiba to action and he stood up with determination. He was going to get Yami back finally and there was nothing that would stop him.

* * *

They were halfway to Okutama when Kaiba's phone started to ring. Grateful for the distraction since Ogata had refused to let him drive, Kaiba answered only when he saw who it was. "Yuugi?" he asked when all he heard was sniffling on the other line.

"Kaiba-kun, it's about Yami," Yuugi started to say before bursting into tears again.

Not comfortable with the open display of emotions, Kaiba said, "We found him and I'm getting him back."

"You did?" Yuugi questioned in confusion. "But, but I can barely feel him and—"

Unsure of the range on the Millennium Puzzle's range, Kaiba informed Yuugi, "They moved him about two hours away."

Yuugi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but it was a logical explanation that he had no choice but to accept. "Please be careful, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi finally said, worried for his friend as well.

"I'll be fine and so will he," Kaiba told him before disconnecting the call.

Ogata could only shake his head and drive a little faster as he subtly glanced over at Kaiba. He had never seen Kaiba so visibly tense and worried, not even when Mokuba had been kidnapped. Offering up a silent plea for Yami's well being, Ogata continued to speed to the old medical facility.

* * *

**A/N:** I know this one is a little short, but we're starting to get into the thick of things now…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_The words sent a chill of dread through Kaiba and he struggled not to lose himself in his anger. "You will beg for your death by the time I'm through with you," Kaiba promised in a dangerous voice, pleased when he saw a flicker of fear in Hoshino's eyes. _

Next update will go up on **Sunday, February 6th** and we'll finally meet Hoshino in person.


	15. Chapter 15: Confrontation

**Chapter 15: Confrontation**

When Kaiba walked into the medical center, he hadn't expected to be cheerily greeted by the staff, "Welcome, Seto-sama! We've been expecting you."

Immediately on full alert, Kaiba tensed as a young woman in a traditional nurse's uniform approach him. He didn't trust that she didn't have an ulterior motive and he refused to be caught off-guard. Tightly gripping the switchblade concealed in his pocket, Kaiba tensely waited for her to speak.

Oblivious to his discomfort, the woman smiled kindly at Kaiba and requested, "Please follow me, Seto-sama."

Pushing down on his instincts, Kaiba compromised and followed her, reminding himself about his goal. Together they walked down several hallways and winding corridors before the woman announced, "Please wait here and someone will be with you shortly."

Silently complying, Kaiba entered an office, the air stale from years of abandonment. Shortly after Gozaburo's death, Kaiba had shut the facility down because of its cruel research and he could have cursed himself for not ensuring that the place was demolished back then. The room brought back nothing but bad memories as he remembered sitting in the uncomfortable leather chairs across from Gozaburo who reigned supreme from behind the desk, but Kaiba had to put it out of his mind and turned his back to face the door.

He wasn't left alone for long and Kaiba neutrally stared at the woman in the doorway, refusing to let her know she could impact his emotions. Even though it had been years since he had last seen Hoshino Haruna, Kaiba easily recognized her and her cloying perfume that was already making him sick. Her long black hair was lightly curled at the tips to give the illusion of youthfulness, but even her makeup couldn't hide the advancement of years. She was stylishly dressed and in stiletto high heels that clicked ominously on the floor as she approached.

Sauntering over to Kaiba with a smile when the door was closed and locked, she greeted him, "So you've finally shown yourself."

Kaiba refused to give her the satisfaction of an answer and she merely laughed at his stubbornness as she drew closer. He had remained standing to maintain control of the situation, but she skillfully pinned Kaiba against the high back of the leather chair with her body. Hoshino reached up and stroked his cheek with an appreciative hum, making it hard for him to resist pulling out his switchblade and plunging it into her. "You've grown up," she murmured with a seductive smile, suggestively shifting her hips against his.

Refusing to show the revulsion he felt, Kaiba struggled to maintain his composure. Kaiba was being touched by the hands that had pleasured Gozaburo and harmed Yami; even a shower wouldn't make him feel clean afterward. "You've gotten old," Kaiba returned, not even flinching when she slapped him hard across the face at the comment.

"Do you really think it's wise to anger me?" she hissed, her indignation replacing her sensuality.

"Did you really think I would let you get away with this unharmed?" Kaiba countered, silently wishing to kill her and move on to finding Yami.

Returning to her seductive tactic, Hoshino murmured, "And how do you intend to _punish_ me?"

The sexual implication disgusted Kaiba, but he refused to be distracted. "Where is he?" Kaiba icily demanded.

Laughing deviously, Hoshino smirked and condescendingly asked, "Did you really expect me to keep him here when I knew that you were coming?"

Kaiba's jaw tightened in irritation as he tried to control his reaction. "You will return him to me," Kaiba stated in a measured tone, trying to hold the panic at bay over having possibly missed Yami once more. "_Now_."

"You didn't even bring the money and you think I'll seriously hand over something as precious as your _lover_?" she incredulously demanded in a shrill voice before she resumed her sultry air. "Unless you were planning on a different kind of…_payment_, shall we call it?"

Before Kaiba could question what the woman meant, Hoshino slowly started to unbutton her blouse in a striptease that let Kaiba know exactly what she was implying. He was about to put a stop to it when he saw the miniature Millennium Puzzle necklace he had given to Yami nestled between her breasts. The sight enraged Kaiba and he reached out and took hold of it before he had processed what he was doing. Yanking her forward by it, he glared at her with all of the hatred he felt for her in that moment.

"So you like it rough?" she murmured, intentionally provoking him with a moaning laugh. "Kinky…"

There were no words to express his rage and Kaiba growled menacingly at her. "Bring him here," Kaiba ordered, twisting the thin chain to choke her slightly and wishing to do more to cause her pain, but he needed Yami back first.

"He's gone," she said with another feminine giggle. "Feel free to search the facility, but you won't find him here."

The words sent a chill of dread through Kaiba and he struggled not to lose himself in his anger. "What do you mean he's _gone_?" Kaiba demanded, the white rage building inside of him just aching for release against her and her transgressions.

"Don't worry, he's being _well_ taken care of somewhere else," Hoshino replied, before gasping for breath as Kaiba tightened his hold on the necklace, letting the metal dig into her neck and twist painfully.

"You will _beg_ for your death by the time I'm through with you," Kaiba promised in a dangerous voice, pleased when he saw a flicker of fear in Hoshino's eyes. "I will hurt you in ways you didn't even know were possible, whore."

In truth, Hoshino was more than just a little scared; the murderous look in Kaiba's eyes went far beyond the anger that had terrified her sometimes when she was with Gozaburo. "If I dealt with a man like Gozaburo, what makes you think I can't handle a little teenage boy like yourself?" Hoshino challenged, refusing to show the depths of her real reaction.

"Because I'm still here and he's not, which should serve as a warning to you," Kaiba growled, the words burning him, but knowing they were inflicting far more damage on her. "He had a reason to keep you around, but I'm only interested in your demise. That makes me far more dangerous and you would do well to remember that."

Refusing to back down, Hoshino threatened, "I'll go public with this!"

Smirking viciously as he leaned closer menacingly, Kaiba confidently told her, "No, you won't. Because if you want my money, why would you risk my _worth_?"

The leverage she had been so proud of evaporated when she realized the truth in his words. He was no good to her if he lost his money and it irritated her that he knew she couldn't go public without risking his company and stocks sliding because of the revelation. "Either way, I'll still get my money," she replied nonchalantly with a beautiful smile, not betraying her frustrations.

"Either way, you'll be dead," Kaiba said in a lethal tone, pulling hard enough on the necklace to snap the chain.

Hoshino yelped in pain as the gold cut into her before the sting of it being severed kicked in afterward. She saw the charm and broken chain clenched tightly in his fist and she laughed at him. "How cute," she mockingly cooed. "However, I'm done with you now. Feel free to look, but you won't find him here."

Having said all that she needed to, Hoshino turned and left, buttoning up her shirt as she exited with a final parting shot over her shoulder with a flirty wink, "I'll be in touch, Seto-chan."

Left alone, Kaiba took a shuddering breath and tried to compose himself. Part of him wanted to rip the place apart in his search for Yami, but Kaiba knew it would be futile and just waste more time. Even though he wondered if the invitation was a bluff she didn't expect him to take and that Yami was still actually there, Kaiba knew that was false. He couldn't sense Yami and Kaiba felt himself starting to despair when he felt nothing on the other end of their shared connection. There wasn't even a whisper of a hint of Yami's presence and Kaiba knew that he was running out of options.

Figuring enough time had been wasted, it was with a heavy heart and much regret that Kaiba walked out and started toward the location he had left Ogata, attempting to compose himself on the way. He half-expected Ogata to be missing, but he was waiting right where he had been left.

When Kaiba got in, he commanded, "Drive."

Eyes wide in confusion, Ogata questioned, "Wait, where's—"

"I said, 'Drive,' Ogata!" Kaiba almost yelled, unable to hear the end of the sentence. He had failed yet again because of his overconfidence and it was almost unbearable.

"What about Yami?" Ogata demanded, instantly regretting it when he saw the look of pure anguish on Kaiba's face that was quickly masked by shadows of rage. Instead of pushing the point, Ogata shifted the car into gear and obeyed the order.

They had gone less than two kilometers before Ogata pulled over onto an abandoned street and parked the car again. "What happened?" Ogata calmly asked, uncomfortable with driving too far away without knowing if Yami was still close by in the area.

Kaiba had already retreated inside of himself and could only whisper, "He's gone." He could hardly believe that his own voice had said those words so quietly and with a betraying waver.

"What do you mean he's gone? It's not like he disappeared or something," Ogata said, looking over at Kaiba with concern. Only then did Ogata notice the glint of gold in Kaiba's hand. "Is that his…?"

Nodding miserably, all Kaiba could think of was how much of a difference it would have made if he had answered Ogata's calls earlier. Instead of giving them almost five hours to move Yami elsewhere, he could have possibly been there in time to actually save the former pharaoh. The thought that his inaction had caused him to lose the sole opportunity to save Yami made Kaiba double over and rest his head on his knees as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Seeing Kaiba reduced to looking so small and fragile shook Ogata to his core; Kaiba Seto was not supposed to be like that and it made him want to go after Hoshino personally for doing this to the couple. "They didn't…kill him, did they?"

"No, they knew we were coming and moved him," Kaiba mumbled, trembling from his battle against the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him.

Hesitantly reaching over and resting his hand on Kaiba's shoulder, Ogata vowed, "We'll find him, Seto."

"He could be anywhere by now."

"We'll find him," Ogata confidently insisted, "and then we'll make those bastards pay."

Making a noise of agreement, Kaiba hugged his legs tighter, feeling the threat of an unfamiliar burn in his eyes. "I just want him back," Kaiba accidentally mumbled as he clenched the necklace tighter in his hand, breaking Ogata's heart. Ogata had always known that Yami was important to Kaiba, but never had it been so clearly obvious to him how much his boss _needed _Yami.

"We'll get him back," Ogata promised, squeezing Kaiba's shoulder reassuringly.

Not trusting himself to say anything else, Kaiba forced himself to straighten up and put on his seatbelt as they started the long drive home. Kaiba Seto did not sulk or mope, not when he could do something about the situation. They would get back to Domino City and regroup, then he would get Yami back, and make Hoshino pay the ultimate price for her crimes. Fixating on the plan to forget his failure, Kaiba focused his attentions on what needed to happen instead of what wasn't done, but never once did he release the reminder he held clenched tightly in his hand.

* * *

**A/N:** Nothing to add, other than next week is going to be a major, major chapter. I'll let the preview speak for itself and no, it's not in a dream…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Hugging Kaiba tightly to interrupt him, Yami told him, "It's not worth it, Seto. I'm here right now, that's all that matters."_

Can't wait to hear your reactions, to say the least. The next chapter goes up on **Sunday, February 13th**! Until then…


	16. Chapter 16: Reunion

**Chapter 16: Reunion  
**

It was sheer desperation that drove Kaiba to Yuugi's place, hoping that the teen had managed to get back in touch with Yami and find out more about the move. He didn't want to admit to his failure—especially since it was his fault for the delay—but Kaiba needed answers and Yuugi was the only person who could provide them. Since Yuugi wasn't answering his phone, it left Kaiba no choice but to seek him out at the Game Shop.

Entering the house with the key Yami had given him months ago, Kaiba called out Yuugi's name and received no answer, sending a cold tendril of fear through him. Without even realizing it, somewhere along the way Kaiba had designated himself to the role of protecting Yuugi in Yami's absence and the thought of Hoshino striking again came to mind. Even though Kaiba logically knew the silence might stem from him being elsewhere, the thought of something happening to his former rival was sickening and it caused him to yell out Yuugi's name as he began searching the small residence.

The stillness disturbed Kaiba deeply as he took the stairs two at a time, calling out to Yuugi once more in the hopes that perhaps the teen hadn't heard him, but the oppressive silence continued to hang heavily.

Throwing open Yuugi's bedroom door, Kaiba was momentarily caught between anger at being ignored and relieved that he had found the shorter duelist. "Why the hell didn't you answer me, Yuu—" Kaiba started to demand as he entered, his words dying in his throat when the teen turned to face him properly.

Although it was obvious that he was looking at the body of Yuugi, the posture and expression was reminiscent of someone else entirely. Kaiba didn't want to believe it, but the name escaped from his lips in shock as he whispered, "_Yami_?"

Smiling sadly as he looked at Kaiba, Yami confirmed, "You always could tell us apart," as he removed his aibou's leather choker and placed it on the desk.

"No," Kaiba weakly protested as he took a step back, unwilling to accept it, "no, this isn't…this _can't_…" Kaiba's words continued to fail him as he stared at those violet eyes that were so wrong. As the enormity of the situation hit him, Kaiba sank to his knees. He had failed and Yami had paid the ultimate consequence. "_No_…"

It pained Yami to see his proud lover reduced to such a state and he walked closer, idly noting somewhere in the back of his mind how much shorter Yuugi's body was when compared to Kaiba's when kneeling. When Yami reached out to touch him, Kaiba flinched and pulled away from the contact. "Seto…?" Yami asked, letting his hand fall limply at his side and trying not to feel the sting of rejection.

Kaiba knew that he didn't deserve the comfort and it was so hard to see past Yuugi. All Kaiba wanted to do was gather Yami into his arms and hug him, but that just wasn't possible. Yami wasn't safe and sound; he was still being held as a prisoner, his spirit fractured from its rightful body. "How?" Kaiba demanded, unable to look into those large amethyst eyes.

"I'm not really sure," Yami admitted with a shrug, kneeling in front of Kaiba in the hopes of seeing his expression. "I used too much energy and when they moved me that far away, I guess the bond broke and pulled me back here."

It was a logical deduction, but Kaiba's mind was still in denial over it. The conflict was obvious on his face and it made Yami say, "Don't try to blame yourself, Seto."

For one singular moment, Kaiba's eyes reflected his despair before becoming hard once more. "I should have—"

"No," Yami gently interrupted, "you did everything you could."

"I didn't save you!" Kaiba angrily exclaimed, forcing himself to stare at the violet evidence of his failure. "I couldn't protect you and now—"

Touching Kaiba's cheek to interrupt his rant, Yami reminded him, "What did I just say?"

"_Don't_," Kaiba growled as he forced the hand away, disturbed by the touch of the small hand. There was something fundamentally wrong with it and Kaiba couldn't bear it.

Sighing heavily, Yami tried a different tactic, "Look, this is probably only temporary, so there's no point in beating yourself up over it."

The slightest hint of hope surfaced in Kaiba at those words before he forced it back down again. "Temporary?" he repeated.

"Once I recover my energy, I'll be able to materialize again," Yami explained. "I just have to build up my stamina like I did before."

Kaiba wanted to believe it, but something told him that things weren't going to be that easy. "And if that's not the case?" Kaiba asked, finding the words to be distasteful.

"Then we'll talk to Isis and figure it out from there if it comes to that," Yami replied, although he didn't want to think about it. "She managed to help me before, so it'll be okay, Seto."

Kaiba couldn't trust that and he felt utterly despondent over the whole thing. "Yami…"

The former pharaoh had never seen Kaiba look so broken and it hurt to see. Yami could clearly see the physical toll the ordeal had taken on Kaiba and he could only imagine how damaging it had been mentally. He hesitated for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck in an awkward embrace.

It took every ounce of willpower not to hug Yami back, but the thought of touching Yuugi's body in any way bothered him. "This isn't—"

"He won't mind," Yami reassured Kaiba, assuming that he was worried about Yuugi. It was as touching as it was frustrating. "_Please_."

Only then did it occur to Kaiba that Yami needed that small level of comfort of reassurance as well. Closing his eyes and doing his best to ignore the Millennium Puzzle that was painfully crushing against his chest, Kaiba pulled Yuugi's body closer in order to fully embrace Yami. The size of the body was too small, the weight too insubstantial, the smell, and the feelings were all wrong, but Kaiba held him tightly, burying his face in the crook of Yuugi's neck. Kaiba could still smell the traces of leather from the collar, making his stomach turn as he hugged Yami that much tighter.

He could feel the small tremors running through the small body and Kaiba finally realized what was causing it when he heard Yami sniffling softly against his shoulder. It was only the second time he had ever seen Yami cry and once again, Kaiba felt like it was all his fault. "I'm sorry," Kaiba quietly apologized, hating himself for doing what he swore he would never do again.

"For what?" Yami asked in confusion. "I'm just…happy."

"_Happy_?" Kaiba incredulously questioned. "How could _this_ make you happy? And why would that make you cry?"

Leaning back and wiping away the tears, Yami smiled warmly at Kaiba. "Because I missed you," Yami explained, unable to stop the chuckle from escaping over how perplexed that made Kaiba look. He desperately wanted to kiss Kaiba, to experience everything they had been missing the past few weeks, but Yami wouldn't even consider that in his aibou's body; hugging was one thing, anything more was quite another thing entirely.

"Why aren't you mad at me?" Kaiba asked, averting his gaze momentarily before looking into those pale purple eyes.

His small amount of humor faded as he explained, "Because you did nothing wrong, Seto."

"I failed you," Kaiba argued, hanging his head in shame.

"No, you didn't and stop saying that!" Yami countered, although even he thought it sounded ridiculous in Yuugi's voice.

Instead of saying anything further, Kaiba hesitantly raised his hand to wipe away the linger tears. His thumb looked so large against those high cheekbones and Kaiba felt another flare of pain in his heart over the fact that Yami was now trapped in Yuugi's body again. Yami was looking at him with such hope and Kaiba selfishly pulled him in for another lingering hug. Despite the oddity of it all, Kaiba felt himself calm at the feeling of fingers running through his hair in a familiar way. He tried to find some solace in the fact that even if Yami was stuck in Yuugi's body for now, at least he was away from that horrid woman. "I missed you, too," Kaiba finally mumbled, his face flushing in embarrassment at the admission.

The words affected Yami deeply and his hips moved against Kaiba's instinctually as he promised in a voice lowered with lust, "Just wait until I get back into my own body…"

Even though Kaiba knew that it was Yami acting, the fact that it was Yuugi's body doing that sort of thing creeped him out more than just a little. "Please don't do that when you're in his body," Kaiba groaned, disturbed by what it had caused him to feel despite his mental protests. It had been far too long since he had last been with Yami and he would never recover from the humiliation if he managed to get aroused by Yuugi's body, regardless if it was the former pharaoh or not.

"Sorry," Yami sheepishly mumbled as he pulled away a little. "It's just…"

"Been awhile," Kaiba finished.

"Yeah," Yami agreed with another sad smile. It suddenly occurred to him that there was a single benefit to their current situation and for the first time since he returned, he felt a small measure of excitement. "Promise me one thing?"

"What?"

Brushing aside Kaiba's bangs, Yami said, "Get some sleep. You're exhausted and staying up all night isn't going to change anything."

There was nothing that Kaiba could say to that; he was still too disturbed by the earnest violet gaze. "Are you really okay?" Kaiba softly asked, the guilt eating away at him and making his insides twist.

"Even if aibou was in the same room as me when I did that, it still would have been pushing myself too far," Yami explained, knowing that it wasn't exactly a positive thing.

"Then why did you do it?" Kaiba demanded, his tone sounding a bit harsher than he meant for it to.

"Because letting them take Mokuba was not an option," Yami firmly insisted, fully convinced of his actions even with the ending outcome.

"And neither was losing you, damn it!" Kaiba angrily swore, glaring at Yami in displeasure.

The burn of Kaiba's upset was hard to endure despite the sentiment attached to it, but Yami persevered and asked, "Would you really have forgiven me if I just let them take Mokuba when I could have done something to stop them?"

"There had to be another way," Kaiba insisted, unwilling to answer Yami's actual question. He would have been livid at Yami's inaction, but he would have been grateful for his safety—especially because he knew that Mokuba could handle himself in that sort of situation. Kaiba knew he would have been just as conflicted with the opposite outcome, but at least it was a scenario that didn't end with Yami losing his body.

"I would do it all over again if I had to," Yami stated with a quiet conviction that made Kaiba feel terrible. "If it meant keeping him safe—meant keeping _you_ safe—then it was worth it."

"It's not acceptable!" Kaiba growled, a hint of his desperation slipping through as he stared at Yuugi's body and felt the wrongness of it all.

"It is what it is," Yami rationalized, "so we just need to move on and—"

Kaiba could stand to hear any more on the subject, so he interrupted, "How long do you expect to stay…in there?"

Shrugging, Yami guessed, "At least a few days? It'll be like before; I can materialize for a little bit each day until I finally master it on a permanent level."

The answer was displeasing and Kaiba frowned, wondering if this could happen again down the road. It was a terrifying thought, but Kaiba didn't know how he could prevent it from occurring again. "What do we do until then?" Kaiba wondered, needing Yami free from Yuugi's body as soon as possible.

"Be patient," Yami suggested, but it was a lame answer even to his own ears. "Aibou has no problem with us meeting like this and I can't imagine Anzu protesting it, so we'll manage until I regain my form."

"I don't like it," Kaiba muttered, looking away from those purple eyes that were so wrong.

"It's not forever," Yami reasoned, but it did little to comfort Kaiba, who could only pessimistically wonder if that was really true. "And like you said, I'm away from them now, so it's fine. They'll think I ran away, so you have the upper hand when it comes to dealing with them from now on."

It was a valid point, but Kaiba still didn't like it. "What did they do to you?" Kaiba asked, the words leaving a foul taste in his mouth,

"Honestly, they pretty much ignored me and let me sleep for most of the time," Yami answered. "They fed me, but otherwise it was pretty boring."

"Did that woman touch you?" Kaiba forced himself to ask, almost afraid to hear the answer; he didn't need another reason to go after the damnable woman.

"I didn't see her until the last few days," Yami replied, "and even then the longest interaction I had with her was when she was on the phone with you. She just touched the side of my face, but that was it."

It was surprisingly painful to realize that the last person who had touched Yami was that woman; he couldn't stand the thought of it. "I'll break every last one of her damned fingers," Kaiba threatened, knowing he would do it even if it meant touching her vile hands, "and then—"

Hugging Kaiba tightly to interrupt him, Yami told him, "It's not worth it, Seto. I'm here right now, that's all that matters."

Even though his mind rejected the contact from Yuugi's body, Kaiba still possessively hugged him close as he tried to pretend that it was okay. "I'm sorry," Kaiba whispered, the words escaping him involuntarily. He was shamefully clinging to Yuugi's body, but he couldn't make himself stop because he knew that somewhere inside was Yami.

"It'll be okay," Yami insisted, hoping that he could convince Kaiba to believe it. The lack of Kaiba's normal arrogant confidence was disturbing; Yami wasn't accustomed to seeing such a shattered soul. "I promise."

"Yeah, well I promised to keep you safe and look at how well _that_ turned out," Kaiba shot back, the words burning him painfully.

"Stop that," Yami crossly ordered, not wanting to let Kaiba beat himself up any further than he already had.

"I can't," Kaiba whispered, knowing he wouldn't be able to quit blaming himself until the situation resolved itself.

Before Yami could offer up any more words, Yuugi's cell phone started to ring and he waited a heartbeat more before releasing Kaiba and standing up to answer it. Yuugi switched places with him before answer, "Hey, Anzu-chan. Yeah, I'm here with Kaiba-kun right now if you want to head over. Yeah, that's fine with me and I'm sure he won't mind."

It was just too wrong and Kaiba soundlessly got up and left the room, needing some time and space to process what had just happened. He had almost made it to the door when he felt Yuugi's body colliding with his from behind in a desperate hug as Yami pleaded, "Please don't leave."

Staring up at the ceiling and taking a shuddering breath to steady himself, Kaiba explained, "I just need to—"

"_I _need you," Yami interrupted, burying his face against Kaiba's back as he held on tightly, keenly aware of the ancient artifact that prevented him from getting as close as he wanted. "I know this is weird and awkward and wrong, but _please_."

"Are you telling the rest of them?" Kaiba asked, making no further move to leave just yet.

"We haven't really decided," Yami answered with a shrug, "although Anzu knows and you figured it out already."

It made sense to Kaiba why Anzu needed to know, but Kaiba didn't comment on the matter. Even if they told the group, they'd still blame Kaiba for his failure at properly saving Yami; if they maintained their silence, he still got the blame for not rescuing him. It was exhausting to think about and he really wanted some time to get his thoughts in order on the situation, but Yami still had refused to let go of him. The pressure of his failure was bearing down on him and it was a defeat more crushing than any he had faced previously.

"Do you want me not to tell Mokuba?" Yami questioned, knowing that was really the only person's opinion that mattered to Kaiba.

"I don't know," Kaiba truthfully replied after some thought, knowing that Mokuba's guilt was probably going to become even worse as he blamed himself. Then again, at least Mokuba would know that Yami was finally safe and away from those people.

"He'll probably figure it out," Yami finally decided, not resisting when Kaiba pulled away to turn around and face him properly.

Arching an eyebrow at the assertion, Kaiba wanted to know, "What makes you say that?"

"If nothing else, he'd notice the different way you were treating Yuugi and start to suspect something," Yami predicted, knowing that Mokuba was so finally attuned to Kaiba that he would immediately notice the difference.

"You're probably right," Kaiba agreed, proud of his brother for his insightful behavior and frustrated by it in this instance all the same.

Even though he knew that Kaiba wouldn't want it, Yami hugged him once again, burrowing into the safety of his warmth. Kaiba's reprimand stayed silent as he hesitantly embraced him again, wishing that it was actually Yami in his arms and not Yuugi's body acting as a vessel. He was startled by the door opening and Yami jumped guiltily as he saw Anzu and Mokuba enter the house and approach them.

"Nii-sama, is everything…okay?" Mokuba hesitantly asked, looking between him and Yuugi in confusion as his brother took a step back and out of the embrace.

"Almost," Kaiba answered, watching his brother try and figure out what was going on between them.

Mokuba's mind was trying to understand under what conditions Kaiba would ever willingly hug Yuugi, but the list was a short one. He didn't seem upset enough for something bad to have happened to Yami and it wasn't like Kaiba would hug Yuugi in comfort over that anyway. All Mokuba could see was the sadness in his brother's face when his gaze returned to Yuugi and he knew that look of self-blame could only mean a few things, none of which would be shown to anyone but himself and Yami.

Approaching Yuugi with careful steps, Mokuba watched his face carefully for any clue as to what was going on and he saw it in that sad smile that betrayed so much. "_Yami_?" Mokuba finally guessed, knowing that Yuugi would never look at him that way.

"You're both too smart for your own damn good," Yami said by way of confirmation, somehow not surprised that the two of them had figured it out so quickly.

Mokuba remained frozen as he started at Yuugi's body and tried to understand how Yami was back inside, but the logic just wasn't there to help him. All he could understand was that somehow his actions had caused this horrible thing to happen and he had cost his brother the only real happiness he had ever found. The tears started to well up in his eyes as Mokuba launched himself at Yami into a fierce hug as he sobbed, "I'm so sorry," over and over again until the words blurred into meaningless syllables with the sounds of his misery.

"It's not your fault," Yami tried to reassure the younger boy, but to no avail.

"How can you say that?" Mokuba wailed as he glared at Yami and saw nothing but amethyst. "It's all my fault!"

Yami tried to console Mokuba, but his words of comfort were in vain as Mokuba cried every tear he had been holding back and then some. His heart was no more willing to accept absolution any more than Kaiba's was, but it still hurt to hear just how anguished Mokuba was over the situation. Yami could only hold him and shush at the younger teen's guilt, wishing he could do something to take away the pain that he had helped cause through his actions. When the tears finally quieted down to soft sniffles, Yami finally spoke, "You two can't keep blaming yourselves."

"Then who are we supposed to blame? You?" Mokuba shot back, that little seed of bitter resentment showing itself despite his attempts to bury it.

"Mokuba, that's enough," Kaiba warned, wanting to stop his younger brother before he said something he would later regret.

All Mokuba could hear was the weariness of his brother's voice and it just spurred him on as his unvoiced issues finally made themselves known. "I could have taken them out myself! Or escaped when they got me into the van and then you would have been fine!" Mokuba continued, his words spiraling beyond his control. "And why didn't you use your powers against them?"

"Because protecting you was my priority," Yami explained, still convinced that his course of action was the right one despite the validity of Mokuba's points.

"Attacking them would have—"

"I had no way of knowing how many more of them were outside and neither did you," Yami pointed out, needing Mokuba to understand his logic. "I wasn't going to risk not having enough strength left to protect you when more people—"

"I still could have helped!" Mokuba interrupted, the burn of his anguish hard for Kaiba to bear. "I'm not a little kid, damn it! I'm used to—"

Interrupting Mokuba's tirade, Yami argued, "You're still Seto's little brother. I never would have forgiven myself if they had hurt you."

"But you hurt him," Mokuba whispered, feeling horrible for the words, but hating that there was any truth in them at all.

"Losing you would have hurt more," Yami countered, although Mokuba's point just served to drive his own guilt deeper. It had never been his intention to hurt Kaiba through his actions, but there was just no other viable alternative at the time.

"That's not—" Mokuba started to argue before interrupting himself as he realized what he was about to say. He had almost said that it wasn't true and the fact that there was another person out there that meant enough to his older brother for that to actually happen made Mokuba feel even worse. He knew that Yami meant a lot to Kaiba, but it was weird to realize the depths of it through such a revelation.

"Mokuba, come here," Kaiba requested, feeling bad that his brother approached him with the air of a man about to be punished. Hugging his brother, Kaiba could feel the tension in Mokuba's body and he felt his own guilt deepening in turn. "If you're going to blame anyone, then aim it at the ones who are responsible for this. You're no more at fault than—"

Looking up at his older brother with a gaze that was fierce despite the threat of tears, Mokuba demanded, "So do you think Yami did the right thing?"

It was a difficult question to answer, because Kaiba was still just as conflicted over Yami's actions; he was still grateful for his brother's safety, but it came at a cost he wasn't prepared to accept. "Then blame me for not getting—"

"No!" Mokuba growled, refusing to ever blame his brother for anything.

"Assigning the blame isn't going to change what happened," Anzu quietly interjected, meeting Kaiba's gaze evenly despite the scathing glare aimed her way for the interruption. "The people who did this will be punished and Yami will return to normal once he's had time to recover. That's just how it's going to be."

It had been awhile since Kaiba had been privy to one of Anzu's cheerleading pep talks, but even he couldn't disagree with her. "Yeah," Kaiba agreed as he rested his head against his brother's and closed his eyes. He would get his revenge on Hoshino and her team and Yami would regain his form; then all would be well in the world. Until then, Kaiba could only hold his brother as he cried, trying not to feel the pressure of it when Yami started to silently cry as well.

* * *

**A/N:** So who saw that coming? *wicked grin*

Needless to say, I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of the plot twist. Believe it or not, I've been working on this chapter since April of 2009, just building everything up to this point and beyond.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I was hoping this would work."_

Next update will go up on **Sunday, February 20th** and until then, please feel free to sound off in reviews!


	17. Chapter 17: Monochromatic Mayhem

**A/N:** There's an **important posting schedule update** at the **end of the chapter**. Please, **please read** so there's no confusion in the **upcoming** **weeks**.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Monochromatic Mayhem**

_If he had been able to smell, Kaiba imagined the wind would have carried the scent of nostalgia as he entered the clearing he had so often met Yami once. Everything was the same as it had been a year previous, save for the crucial thing that he wanted to see more than anything else. _

"_I'm glad you listened," Yami said as he appeared from the shadows, bringing the world into awareness for Kaiba as the scenery filled itself in with details. He was beautiful in his confidence, but it wasn't right, it wasn't real. "I was hoping this would work."_

"_And in a year you couldn't imagine a better location?" Kaiba muttered, not moving from where he stood. He felt like a tree; rooted to the spot and unable to move, even as his limbs trembled in the wind and at the whims of those around him. He hated the feeling, but knowing that the Yami before him was false—all the worse because it was his only true form left—made it hard to be happy to see him on the dreamside._

"_I figured it would be easier to meet here," Yami defended himself with a shrug, sincerely doubting that Kaiba would have reacted better to an ancient Egyptian location. "Besides, I'm not really here for the scenery."_

_Kaiba remained unmoving as Yami embraced him, awkwardly receiving the attention as Yami pressed closer to him for comfort. It was as wrong as hugging Yuugi had been and Kaiba felt the hollow ache of failure echo through his very core. He blankly stared ahead, trying to get in control of his emotions, but it was as impossible now as it had been earlier; he just couldn't accept such comfort when it was his fault that they were in the situation in the first place. _

"_Seto," Yami whispered, looking up at Kaiba but refusing to let go. _

_The world darkened into grey, the clouds corresponding to the heaviness of Kaiba's heart, but he refused to let the sky cry the tears he couldn't let fall. It startled Yami and he tugged gently on Kaiba's arm to try and draw his attention. "Seto, please," Yami pleaded with him, not sure what else to do._

_All Kaiba could think about were those were words whimpered in Yami's deepest sleep when he was with that woman, his unanswered calls for help that were never heard. The river grew rough in response as the world began to narrow, the pressure of it almost too much to bear. _

"_Talk to me," Yami requested, although for once he needed no words to understand what was going on through Kaiba's mind. He had expected a bit of protesting, but there were no angry outbursts, there were only threatening skies with a rumble of distant thunder that warned of dark things._

"_And what would you have me say?" Kaiba asked, still refusing to acknowledge Yami. He didn't want to look into the scarlet depths of the eyes that wouldn't be the first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning. He didn't want the warmth and sanctuary of Yami's arms when he was going to wake up alone in a cold bed with the sheets only rumpled on one side. Kaiba couldn't stand the thought of it, waking up to a world where Yami no longer was._

_When the sky started to crack, Yami grew desperate; he didn't want to watch Kaiba destroy himself with misplaced emotions. Gently touching Kaiba's cheeks, Yami tried to make him look down but he was denied. A more forceful attempt made Kaiba close his eyes and he furrowed his brow when Yami made a frustrated noise that cut right through him. "I don't need you to say anything, I just need you," Yami finally said, hoping to get a response that didn't shatter the sky. "Stop turning away from me, Seto. Look at me."_

"_This isn't real," Kaiba replied, the edges of the world blurring into fade._

"_This is as real as I can be right now," Yami reasoned, almost swearing when he hear another frightening noise of a world on the verge of collapse._

"_And that's the problem," Kaiba said in a voice that was barely louder than a whisper as he finally opened his eyes and looked down at concerned crimson. _

_It broke Yami's heart to see Kaiba's pain, knowing that he was only seeing the overflow of what was being contained. "Only a temporary one," Yami reassured him, caressing Kaiba's cheek lovingly. "This is real enough for now."_

_It wasn't good enough for Kaiba and there was a flash of lightening on the horizon that reflected Kaiba's irritation. "Where are you really?" Kaiba demanded, needing to know._

"_I'm here with you."_

"_Where are you normally?" Kaiba clarified, the tree branches rattling in the angry wind. _

_Hiding his face against Kaiba's chest, whishing his stubborn boyfriend would at least do the decency to return the hug, Yami replied, "I can't bring you there."_

"_Then show me where you are," Kaiba persisted, needing to see it to comprehend the full reality of Yami's situation._

"_No," Yami refused, knowing that Kaiba's reaction to that would be devastating. He already felt bad enough; knowing what Yami's soul room in the Millennium Puzzle looked like was a hell that he didn't want to put Kaiba through._

"_Show me," Kaiba ordered as the clouds began to crumble into disappearing ash. _

"_Not this time," Yami tried, hoping that he would recover his body before that became a promise. _

_The answer was unacceptable to Kaiba and he reached out to caress the place on Yami's forehead where the glowing Millennium Eye would normally appear. "Show me," Kaiba repeated, his tone softer and yet somehow seeming more threatening. _

"_You won't even hug me and I'm supposed to just agree—"_

_Interrupting Yami with a kiss, it was supposed to be punishing with a purpose, but it was laced with sadness as the world fell apart around them in a monochrome mess. As it deepened, Kaiba almost felt as if his very soul could merge with Yami's, as if he could just crawl inside and stay there while pretending that the reality of the waking world was the nightmare. Kiss melted into kiss as the river dissolved into the earth, as the sky became the ground and shadows were the light. "Take me to where you are," Kaiba entreated Yami, even as he tasted the answer on the lips that he couldn't get enough of now that the dam had been broken. His hands refused to release Yami, grounding them in a world that was falling apart fast._

_It was so hard to deny Kaiba, but Yami stood his ground even as it disappeared around them. "I can't," Yami protested, knowing it would end in disaster._

"_Or you won't?" Kaiba challenged as their world fell into silence._

"_I'm sorry," Yami softly apologized, his heart constricting painfully as he looked up into those tortured blue eyes that were still so beautiful to him. _

"_So am I," Kaiba said with a sigh, embracing Yami briefly before the darkness stole him away._

* * *

Kaiba's eyes opened to a dimmer greyness, but his heart felt just as heavy as he found himself reaching out for someone who wasn't there anymore. He stared at the empty space where Yami should have been, felt the coldness seep through his skin, and he ached in new ways as he listened to the rain against his window that told more than his words could ever hope to convey.

* * *

**A/N:** As I stated above, I have a few disruptions coming up in my life that are going to impact the update schedule of this story. So here's the **new timeline for the next few weeks**:

**Sunday, February 27th: Unknown**. I _might_ have time to post L&F18, an unrelated Entangled oneshot, an Entangled drabble, or I might not get anything posted at all. I'll do my best, but please be advised that it's highly likely there will be **no update**.

**Sunday, March 6th: No Update**

**Sunday, March 13th: No Update**

**Sunday, March 20th: Regular Updates Resume**

I know this will be very upsetting to many of you, but I have to take care of my personal life right now. I'm sorry, I just don't know how else to get everything done and this is just how it has to be. I would love to see your reviews during this time, but I won't be able to reply until sometime after the 20th. I _will_ get caught up upon my return, so please don't feel discouraged by my silence. **I will be back with new chapters and review replies**, but I just have to take this time for myself.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_It was with a quiet resolve that Yami finally confessed, "Not seeing you is worse than being in here," as he tightly gripped the heavy chain that held the Millennium Puzzle. "Why can't you understand that?"_

Well at least I'm not ending it on a cliffhanger? I guess that's a small comfort...

As I said, there _might_ be an update on **Sunday, February 27th**, but it's highly unlikely. So the only update I can confirm will be on **Sunday, March 20th**. Again, I'm very sorry, but I just can't help it with everything else I have to take care of right now in real life. Hopefully you can forgive me.

I look forward to getting back on my normal schedule and replying to all of your amazing reviews! Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter and maintain patience with me...


	18. Chapter 18: Adjustments

**Chapter 18: Adjustments **

"Hey, Kaiba-kun!" Yuugi greeted him as he stepped aside and let the brunette enter the house. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Sure," Kaiba conceded, although he doubted he wanted to hear what Yuugi wanted to say. He followed silently as Yuugi led the way upstairs and away from the group that was hanging out in the living room.

Once they were safely upstairs and the door was shut, Yuugi announced with some trepidation, "I think we need to talk." He had been working up the nerve all day to have the conversation and he was still a little bit nervous about how Kaiba would react; his face was more unreadable than normal.

Kaiba said nothing and simply gestured for Yuugi to continue. "I know that Yami told you—" Yuugi started to explain, but Kaiba interrupted him immediately.

"How?"

"Because he told me," Yuugi answered before resuming his previous train of thought. "I know he told you that I was okay with what happened yesterday, but—"

"—but you're not," Kaiba finished the sentence flatly, his hands tightening around his biceps as he folded his arms defensively.

Furrowing his eyebrows in frustration, Yuugi denied, "No, that wasn't what I meant. I was going to say, 'but I figured you would want to hear it from me directly,' actually."

"It changes nothing," Kaiba muttered, wondering if Yami was aware of their conversation.

"I seriously don't mind if you hug him," Yuugi insisted, doing it as much for Yami's benefit as Kaiba's. "I also wanted you to know that Anzu and I won't be doing anything more than that."

"You're putting your relationship on hold for him?" Kaiba accidentally asked, cursing himself for revealing his thoughts.

Shaking his head, Yuugi explained, "We're not breaking up or anything, we just aren't going to, uhm…it's hard enough on Yami as it is, so we just didn't want to make it worse by reminding him of what he can't have right now."

"How considerate," Kaiba said sarcastically, causing Yuugi to frown at his tone of voice.

Rather than letting it bother him, Yuugi continued, "I also think you need to know that whenever you guys are together, I can't hear or know what's going on without Yami's consent."

"Bullshit," Kaiba disagreed, knowing that Yami had been aware of too much previously for that to have been true.

"It's not!" Yuugi protested, trying to convey his honesty to Kaiba. "When I'm in my Soul Room, I stay there until he trades places with me. I wouldn't invade your privacy."

"I don't believe it," Kaiba dismissively decided, even though he had no reason to distrust Yuugi. He was honesty personified; there was no hiding a lie in those earnest amethyst eyes.

Shrugging at the response, Yuugi said, "Fine, if you won't believe me," before trading places with Yami.

"What did you say?" Yami asked, the slightest trace of accusation in his tone that immediately put Kaiba on the defensive.

"Oh, like you don't already know," Kaiba sneered.

Proclaiming his innocence was a pointless exercise in futility and Yami decided to address his own concerns while he still had Kaiba present. Taking Yuugi's collar off, Yami asked, "So what happened last night?"

Saying nothing about Yami taking off the offensive leather strip, Kaiba quipped, "Hn, you should know," with an angry glare. He couldn't stand it when Yami tried to play innocent and it was all the worse when it was taking place in Yuugi's form.

"Because you asked to go to the one place I can't take you," Yami stated, still convinced that he had made the right decision.

"Why couldn't you have shown me a representation of it, then?" Kaiba logically countered, watching Yami carefully.

"Because I came to you to escape from there," Yami defended himself, although that was only half of the truth.

It was hard to argue against that, so Kaiba remained silent as he tried to reconcile his volatile emotions. Yami continued trying to reason with Kaiba, "I just wanted to be with you in a way we can't be here right now."

"It just makes it worse," Kaiba muttered, remembering all too well the ache he had woken up to.

"Then don't run away from me here," Yami argued as he hugged Kaiba and tried not to feel disheartened by the rigid rejection he encountered. "It's hard enough as it is without that—"

"Did you really think I'd be okay with this…_arrangement_?" Kaiba questioned as he stepped out of the hold, struggling to find the right word and finding it distasteful.

"So what am I supposed to do? Just let you pretend I don't exist until I get my body back?" Yami demanded, his irate tone ruined by Yuugi's voice.

The response annoyed Kaiba and he shot back, "When have I acted like you haven't existed since you've returned?" Personally, Kaiba thought he had been handling the situation better than he would have expected; that wasn't to say he was doing particularly well, though.

Yami's gaze softened as he realized the truth of Kaiba's words and he apologized, "Look, I'm sorry, I know you haven't. It's just…I want to be with you, but you won't let me do that here, you barely tolerate me there, so what the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Conserve your energy until you can rematerialize," Kaiba replied, wondering if stretching his soul to reach him in sleep was as detrimental as he thought.

"What, so you're seriously going to ignore me until then?" Yami questioned, the flare of irritation returning. "Being like this doesn't prevent me from returning, so you can't use that as an excuse."

"It's not an excuse," Kaiba growled, trying to keep his emotions under tight control.

"Then hug me," Yami challenged, pushing against the walls Kaiba had been forcing between them.

"No."

Yami's irritation was hitting new heights at Kaiba's stubborn reaction and he snapped, "Why the hell not?"

"Because that's not you, damn it!" Kaiba shot back, narrowing his eyes at Yuugi's form.

"I'm still in here," Yami argued, pressing his hand against his chest for emphasis. "What difference does it make what form I take?"

"All I see is him," Kaiba answered, his voice cracking from the rising emotions as he continued, "because I see my failure in him, my broken promises to you, my—"

Yami threw his arms around Kaiba again and wanted to do anything to stop such painful words from being said. "Stop it," Yami pleaded, his voice sounding so tiny because of Yuugi. "I don't think any of those things—"

"That doesn't mean they aren't true," Kaiba cynically pointed out, feeling the burn of failure every time he looked into those purple depths.

"They're not!"

"Maybe I'd believe you if you weren't saying it through his voice," Kaiba countered as he rested his hands on shoulders that were too slim and undefined and gently pushed him back again.

Yami's frustration and emotions rendered him incapable of speech as he tried to express himself through eyes that Kaiba refused to meet. It was with a quiet resolve that Yami finally confessed, "Not seeing you is worse than being in here," as he tightly gripped the heavy chain that held the Millennium Puzzle. "Why can't you understand that?"

"At least I still had a chance to save you before," Kaiba stated while forcing himself to look Yuugi in the eyes in the hopes of seeing Yami. "I can't do anything now and I hate that."

The words were painfully honest and it gave Yami a new level of understanding to one of Kaiba's issues on the matter. "I still need your support," Yami tried, hoping that it was enough to help convince Kaiba to stay by his side. "I still need _you_."

"And I need you back," Kaiba found himself saying, "but not like this."

Yami's protests went unheeded as Kaiba left the room and the spirit went after him as he cursed, "Damn it, Seto! Come back here!"

Using his longer legs to his advantage, Kaiba called out for his brother and gestured for them to leave as he started toward the door, knowing that he had said too much as it was. It was just too hard to be around Yami in that form and Kaiba had to get out to sort his mind before he said anything else that he would regret.

"Yuugi, what's going on?" Jounouchi asked in a concerned voice, startling Yami when he came around the corner.

"Not now, Jounouchi-kun," Yami tried to say in the same manner as his aibou, but he was too distracted by the sight of Kaiba getting farther and farther away from him as he started out to his car with Mokuba. If he continued as he was, he would accidentally reveal his secret and that would be a mess he didn't feel like dealing with at the moment. He wanted to rush after Kaiba and finish their conversation, but to do so would mean tipping off Jounouchi and it was just too much of a risk. There was no other choice than to watch Kaiba walk away and Yami felt the pain of rejection.

* * *

"Nii-sama, why—?" Mokuba started to ask as he trotted after his brother, but he didn't get to finish his question.

"Just get in the car, Mokuba," Kaiba tersely ordered, his every thought centered on getting away as quickly as possible. If he didn't leave, then he would be tempted to go back and apologize to Yami, because he knew he was in the wrong. There was just too much to take in and Kaiba needed time to get some perspective on the matter.

Recognizing from the tone of his brother's voice that something was wrong, Mokuba did as he was told without argument. Opening the trunk and tossing his schoolbag inside, Mokuba walked around the side and got inside of the car with some amount of reservation. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he stayed silent since it was easy enough to infer that it was related to Yami.

Kaiba was finishing up a quick email on his phone while waiting for Mokuba to get in and he put it aside to focus. As he was about to shift gears, he was surprised to see Anzu standing in front of his car, her arms crossed as she stared him down with a disapproving look. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture and he revved his engine at her to convince her to get out of the way. Kaiba didn't know whether to be irritated or impressed that her only reaction was to arch an eyebrow at his display and put her hands on her hips defiantly, but it made him stop since it was only wasting gas and doing nothing to help improve his mood.

"Uh, nii-sama? I think she wants to talk," Mokuba hesitantly guessed, finding the fierce look she was leveling at his brother to be a little intimidating from a girl who was normally so cheerful.

"Clearly," Kaiba muttered, refraining from making any darker comments. Growling in annoyance as he debated the merits of reversing and going around her, Kaiba finally got out of the car. She wasted no time in striding over to meet him as he shut his door to isolate his brother.

"Did you really think that would scare me?" Anzu asked as she rolled her eyes at Kaiba's theatrics.

Tilting his head arrogantly, Kaiba said in an insulting tone, "I thought you at least had enough sense to get out of the way."

"And I thought _you_," Anzu countered as she jabbed him in the chest with her finger, "had more honor and pride than to run away so shamefully. What the hell are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking you need to stay the hell out of it," Kaiba snapped as he brushed her off of him.

Rather than taking offense, Anzu shot back, "And I think you need to stop acting like a brat and start being the man you always portray yourself to be!"

At first Kaiba's eyes went wide at her audacity before narrowing in disgust—both at her boldness to say it and the truthfulness behind it. "Who are you to tell that to me?" Kaiba demanded, his voice rising in his anger.

"Somebody who is in the exact same position as you!" Anzu answered, not backing down in the face of Kaiba's anger. "Do you really think you're in this alone? That you're the _only_ one affected by this whole situation? This isn't just about you! We're all in this together, whether you like it or not, Kaiba-kun."

Kaiba's first instinct was to argue back that she knew nothing about it until he remembered what Yuugi had said about putting their relationship on hold out of respect for Yami. It made him scrutinize her expression as he tried to gather his thoughts on the subject. The sudden stillness in Kaiba encouraged Anzu as she gently added, "This is hard enough as it is and Yami-kun has enough to deal with without adding your bad mood on top of it. Getting angry isn't helping."

"_Nothing_ is helping," Kaiba hissed as he glared at her for her insolence.

"Including glaring at me like that," Anzu pointed out with a wink, lightening the moment as it forced him to stop. "Look, I know you're used to thinking you have to do this alone, but believe it or not, we _are_ here for you. I know you're not the type to open up and talk about this—or anything—but—"

"And what do you expect me to do? Grin and pretend that everything is fine until we commiserate together over coffee and you help me see the light?" Kaiba scornfully asked, his voice thick with sarcasm.

"Honestly, that would kind of terrify me because it's so far from who you are," Anzu replied with a laugh at the mere thought of that situation. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Kaiba-kun. I just want to help. And maybe make you reconsider leaving right now."

While part of Kaiba knew that he should go back inside and apologize for his storming out, he couldn't bring himself to do it under the circumstances. He was startled when she rested her hand against his arm and gave it a light squeeze in encouragement. "I have confidence that you'll make this right, Kaiba-kun. Yami-kun will regain his body and everything will go back to normal. And whatever I—or any of us—can do to help you make that happen, we'll do it. You're a businessman and I _know_ you know how to delegate, so just keep it in mind, yeah?" Anzu told him, smiling at him with a brightness that never failed to confuse him as to how she managed to seem so comfortable and genuine around him.

"The mutt isn't worthy of being my minion," Kaiba sneered, causing her to give him a pointed look that did nothing to change his mind about Jounouchi. "I'll…keep it in mind, though."

"Well, that's a better start than I was expecting," she commented with a laugh, thrilled that she managed to get Kaiba to concede even by that much. "I guess I can begin by telling Yami that as much as you wanted to come back in, you regretfully had to go?"

It felt like an easy way out, but Kaiba knew one way or the other he was going to lose face in the situation. When Kaiba didn't answer, Anzu took it upon herself to say, "Even though you should go back in, you both need some time for adjusting to this. I'll give him your regards and make sure he understands. In the meantime, go home and get your head together so there are no more repeats of today. This is your one free pass, understood?"

Even though part of Kaiba was galled by her attempts at ordering him around, Kaiba nodded with a, "Hn," as acknowledgment.

"I'll take that as, 'You're welcome,' in Kaibaese," Anzu decided with another laugh as she took a step back to allow Kaiba to get back into his car.

Finding the girl's reaction as strange as ever, Kaiba got in his car without another word and drove off; Mokuba took it as a good sign his older brother didn't peel out in rage as he would have done earlier.

Anzu watched him drive away before squaring her shoulders with determination and heading back inside the house. Before she could even close the door, Anzu heard Jounouchi yell, "Wait, you're _what_? Is this _his_ fault?"

"It's nobody's fault, Jounouchi-kun," Anzu said as she held back a heavy sigh, jumping right into and knowing it was far from over. Catching Yami's attention, she tried to make a gesture that everything was okay, but there were bigger problems than Kaiba's smarting pride to deal with at the moment. Resolving to talk with Yami about it later, Anzu focused on trying to talk some sense into Jounouchi instead, marveling at how much easier it was to deal with Kaiba and what a strange thought that was.

* * *

**A/N:** So did you miss me~? I certainly missed you all in my weeks off from posting. It was _weird_ not posting on so many Sundays. I had this grand plan to post early, but then my computer died this afternoon. Thankfully I had everything backed up, so there was no data loss, but it meant the chapter went up a bit later than I intended. So much for my return with a flourish. (-.-;

I appreciate the kind thoughts and support so many of you sent me both in reviews and in PMs and I just wanted to let you know how much it helped. Thankfully, as a result of my little sabbatical, I took care of everything and hopefully we won't have any more delays until I have to defend my thesis for my master's degree! Only a few more months…

As a result of the sabbatical, I'm behind on wishing that all of my readers, their friends, family, loved ones—that everyone is okay after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. As Japan is a place very near and dear to my heart, studies, and life, plus I'm currently intending to relocate there in a few months, my thoughts have been with you all, even if my words have thus far been silent in my writing here on FFnet.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Give me one reason not to destroy you," Yami hissed at Bakura, the shadows starting to revolt on the edges of the room, just aching to be unleashed on an ancient enemy. _

For anyone who loves shadowy hair of rage Yami, the next chapter is for you.

Next update will be on **Sunday, March 27th**, meaning we're back on track with the normal updates! Isn't that exciting? I would love to hear your thoughts on this one and just in general. It's been awhile since I've gotten reviews and I miss hearing from you all! Until then, may you all be well and wonderful!


	19. Chapter 19: Breaking Point

**Chapter 19: Breaking Point**

It was only because he was alone in a teacher's conference room that Kaiba allowed himself the luxury to sigh heavily and close his eyes after the rough call he had just been forced to endure. The call had been brutal to start with because of his own bad attitude, but delaying the upcoming tournament was necessary despite the extra costs that would be incurred. He had the final word, so it didn't make sense to him why there were others who were objecting so strongly to his decision and not backing down at his authority. It required more thought than he had energy for and Kaiba had more pressing things on his mind.

Nothing seemed to be going right lately and Kaiba was starting to fray at the edges the longer things continued to go wrong. He was tired of staring at the empty seat next to him in class that Yami should have been sitting in, giving him a teasing look. More than that, Kaiba was sick of seeing Yami's absence; somehow it was even worse now that he was back in Yuugi's body—there, but not.

The sound of the door opening immediately drew Kaiba's attention and he turned to glare at the intruder. He mentally swore when he saw Bakura shut the door behind him and approach with his cocky swagger that made Kaiba want to hit him. He wanted to order Bakura to get out, but Kaiba knew that the thief would simply ignore him. Instead of wasting his time, Kaiba warily watched as Bakura drew closer, just waiting for him to reveal his intentions.

"You don't look very happy," Bakura commented as he came to a stop in front of Kaiba.

"You're here—why would I be?" Kaiba countered, doing his best not to let his temper lash out and let Bakura know how badly he got to him.

Chuckling at the bravado, Bakura smirked at Kaiba. "It seems like things have started to get interesting," Bakura stated with another laugh. "This never would have happened if you had accepted my help, you know."

For one weak moment, Kaiba wondered if it really was better to have Yami stuck in Yuugi's body over accepting Bakura's assistance. He immediately dismissed the thought, berating himself for such stupidity. Kaiba was too exhausted and emotionally raw for a confrontation and he tried to find a clean break to escape; there were just too many potential ways for things to go wrong with Bakura in such close proximity.

"But you're too stubborn for that," Bakura softly continued as he reached out and caressed Kaiba's cheek, only to have the reincarnated priest jerk back from his touch. "So stubbornly beautiful…"

"_Don't_," Kaiba warned, tired of being touched by hidden spirits in host bodies.

Laughing outright, Bakura blatantly disregarded Kaiba's words and embraced him as he murmured, "You should know by now that telling me not to only makes me want to do it more."

When Kaiba tried to shove him away, Bakura tugged on the fragment of the priest's soul and stilled him. "You wouldn't want the pharaoh walking in on us like this, would you?" Bakura taunted.

When Kaiba tried to move away, he was assaulted by the unique pain he only experienced when arguing with Bakura. The only way he had ever been able to free himself was through the help of the Millennium Puzzle, but Kaiba really didn't want to do that when Yami was residing in it. "Let go and we'll talk," Kaiba bartered, willing to do almost anything to get away from Bakura's hold.

"Who said I was here to talk?" Bakura questioned with a leer as he undid one of Kaiba's jacket buttons.

Kaiba's heart began hammering nervously when Bakura started on the second button. "Why are you here?" Kaiba asked as he once again tried to move without success.

"Because I can touch you when he can't," Bakura purred, running his fingers along Kaiba's pale neck and sending a shiver through the taller teen. "There's not a damn thing you can do about it without tipping off the pharaoh—and you have too much pride to let him see you like this."

While it was entirely true, Kaiba didn't want Yami to walk in on them in an even more compromising position. The thought of Bakura's fingers touching his bare skin was a strong deterrent and it was the next button that made his decision.

Throwing open the connection to the Millennium Puzzle, Kaiba immediately felt Yami responding to the poorly concealed humiliation he was experiencing. It was only mildly gratifying to see Bakura forced away from him and it was with great relief that he rebuttoned his jacket.

"You always did like to prove me wrong," Bakura said with a chuckle, loving the sight of Kaiba's glowing third eye despite knowing that it meant Yami was on his way. "Sometimes I think it's because you like my punishments for you whenever you defy me."

Choking down on the ripple of revulsion that curled through him at those words, Kaiba was spared responding because Yami came bursting into the room with an air of malevolence that had even Bakura taking a step back out of instinct. The sound of the door shutting behind Yami was ominous and Kaiba carefully watched his irate lover glare hatefully at Bakura.

"Give me one reason not to destroy you," Yami hissed at Bakura, the shadows starting to revolt on the edges of the room, just aching to be unleashed on an ancient enemy.

"You wouldn't live long enough to regret it," Bakura retorted with a cocky smirk that that only served to farther antagonize Yami. "Besides, you wouldn't want to do anything to hurt your precious priest."

The comment confused Yami, but he didn't want to give Bakura any ground in the argument. "I'll do whatever it takes to be rid of you," Yami growled, drawing on the surrounding shadows and holding out his hand to direct them.

"Even at the risk of his life?" Bakura questioned, tugging hard enough on the fragment of Seto's soul to make Kaiba double over in a burning agony as he felt himself being seared from the inside through mystical means.

Yami felt a hint of Kaiba's pain through their limited connection from the Millennium Puzzle and his rage hit new levels as he demanded, "What have you done?"

"Nothing more than what he allowed me to do," Bakura replied before caressing the link and making Kaiba gasp even as he tried to grit his teeth against the flash of pleasure that disgusted him.

The tendril of pleasure was more disturbing than the pain and Yami lashed out against Bakura, binding him with the shadows and cutting him deeply with the restraints. Still, Bakura laughed cruelly at the former pharaoh's actions and continued manipulating the fragment of the priest's shattered soul, making Kaiba shudder as he tried to fight against the sensuality that was stroking him from the inside and distracting him. "That's not enough to stop me," Bakura taunted, staring defiantly into amethyst eyes and seeing scarlet in his mind. "It never was."

Another strangled noise escaped from Kaiba's lips and it spurred Yami into action. The Millennium Ring activated when Bakura was forced to resist the invasion of ancient power and that was when Yami felt something that never should have been there and had never noticed before. "What trickery is this?" Yami questioned as he reached out with his powers and wrapped it around what felt like Kaiba and yet wasn't.

Kaiba felt a warmth suffuse his soul as Yami embraced him from within in the gentlest of caresses, causing him to shiver with a soft moan he didn't mean to make. He didn't understand what was going on, but Kaiba wanted it to stop before he was further embarrassed; it was only a minor relief to know that it was Yami who was responsible for the last sensation.

"It's no trick, Pharaoh," Bakura answered in a mocking tone. "He gave that to me willingly long after you were gone."

Yami's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to understand, but there was no whisper of a lie in Bakura's words. "That's impossible," Yami denied, refusing to believe such a thing.

"Is it?" Bakura questioned, attempting to reach out to Kaiba once more and was denied by Yami's presence. It made him lash out at Yami on a spiritual level, the small room plummeting into the shadowy depths of the borderline between realms.

"Enough!" Kaiba growled, acting instinctually and releasing his anger like a weapon in a rush of power that forced them all back as the world righted itself into light once more.

"Agreed," Yami stated before using the full command of his powers to force Bakura back into the ancient artifact and bring Ryou to the forefront. The sudden switch made Ryou collapse soundlessly on the ground in a sleeping heap and it was only then that Yami dared to breathe a soft sigh of relief before walking over to Kaiba.

"What the hell just happened?" Kaiba demanded as he stared at Yami, feeling too raw for such a discussion and yet needing to know.

Gesturing for Kaiba to come closer, Yami let their third eyes connect and they both were overwhelmed with the totality of each other. It was only because of his heightened awareness that Yami could finally discern that infinitesimal tear in Kaiba's soul, a part that belonged solely to Seto as a result of his ancient actions. He smoothed over it and heard Kaiba cry out as he bodily reacted to the sensation, making Yami feel even worse. "He stole a part of you," Yami whispered, not understanding how it had happened or how he had missed it for so long.

"No, he didn't," Kaiba denied, but his voice lacked the normal heat of accusation. He was too busy closing his eyes and feeling Yami through their connection; it was the first time during waking hours that it almost felt like he had his lover back properly.

"He stole a part of Seto's soul that belongs to you," Yami corrected himself, the knowledge burning him deeply with an unexpected failure.

"And I'm telling you he didn't," Kaiba quietly insisted, unable to let himself drop it despite not wanting to continue the conversation.

Misunderstanding Kaiba's source of denial, Yami pressed, "So you would deny this," as he once again brushed over the emptiness inside of the reincarnated priest.

"That's not what I'm saying," Kaiba growled, gritting his teeth against a flash of memory.

_A dark chuckle in an ancient tomb, shading the darkness as the priest turned pharaoh drew nearer to his willing captive. Shadowy candlelight danced along the walls with the whims of the underground wind and there was nothing but echoes of distant sounds around them._

"_So this is what it takes for you to give yourself willingly to me?" the thief taunted with a false bravado as his last defense._

"_Shut up," Seto ordered, but the sadness etched itself into existence, weighing down an already heavy heart. _

"_Come here," Bakura softly requested as he held out his hand with a gesture for Seto to come closer._

_Balking at the command, Seto still was unable to refuse and his feet guided him toward the thief sprawled gracelessly on the ceremonial table. "You know why we have to do this," Seto reminded him, even as their fingers entwined in a small embrace. "It's the only way." _

"_Only because you know I wouldn't be able to stay away like that obedient little wife of yours," Bakura teased as he pulled Seto to sit beside him. "But that's because I love you more than she ever could."_

"_Stop it," Seto ordered, but there was no strength left in his voice as his resolve wavered like the shadows on the walls. _

"_No," Bakura refused as he leaned up and stole a slow kiss. "I have to say it twice as much since you refuse to admit to it."_

"_Don't make this any harder than it has to be," Seto warned, but in his heart of hearts he knew that there was no easy way to do it. "You know I can't protect you any other way from them when—"_

Yanking himself out mid-memory, Kaiba was left nauseated with the effort as he returned to awareness. It took a moment to compose himself and that was when he remembered he was still connected to Yami. "Did you—?" Kaiba tried to ask, but the words wouldn't form.

"No," Yami replied, leaving out the fact that he had felt the bitter regret tinged with sadness that belonged to Seto's soul coloring Kaiba's with humiliation.

Kaiba hugged Yami to him tightly, trying to push the incident out of his mind. There was no place in his life for Seto's regrets and Kaiba tried to focus on the feeling of Yami's soul so closely entwined with his; it made it easier to pretend that he wasn't holding Yuugi's body. "How much longer?" Kaiba asked, not sure how much more stress he could handle before something snapped.

"I don't know," Yami whispered, wishing he had a better answer than that for Kaiba. It hurt to feel Kaiba's grief so clearly, to know that there was only one thing that could be done to relieve it. "I just don't know."

Sighing heavily, Kaiba said nothing further as he simply indulged in Yami's soul, knowing that he would probably be exhausted later and yet not caring about that at all. It was a relief to finally feel so close to him after so long apart and Kaiba tried to press closer to the connection he so often had rejected.

Yami didn't know what to think of Kaiba trying to seek comfort in his soul. On the one hand it was a beautiful thing that made him feel cherished by a man who normally rejected such things; on the other, it made him feel a new level of guilt over his actions that had reduced Kaiba to such a state. Then to know that Bakura had the limited ability to touch Kaiba in such an intimate way, it physically hurt to bear the thought of such a thing. He wanted to embrace Kaiba in the same way with his own body and forget everything else, but there was still a long way to go before that could happen.

"Stop," Kaiba whispered, unaccustomed to the constant barrage of emotions from Yami's end—especially when most of them were the darker feelings he was trying to avoid himself. They had a rare chance for a moment of actual peace with everything going on and Kaiba didn't want to waste it.

Pulling back slightly and looking up at Kaiba, Yami caressed his cheek and tried not to feel the burn of instantaneous reaction when the reincarnated priest flinched from the touch with a bubble of apprehension. Yami's answering concern was enough to get Kaiba to open his eyes and for one singular moment, he hoped to see crimson looking up at him. "Soon," Yami promised, although he hated not having a more concrete answer for Kaiba.

"What can I do?" Kaiba asked, unaccustomed to feeling completely useless in a situation.

"Just be patient," Yami replied, which earned him an answering nasty glare from Kaiba that made him laugh despite the seriousness. It made Yami hug Kaiba tightly once more and he swore, "I'll do this."

There was nothing else to say other than, "Mm," so Kaiba left it at that as they continued hugging in the empty room.

The moment was broken when Jounouchi entered the room with a loud, "What the fuck is going on here?"

Yami guiltily jerked back on instinct, the connection breaking at the action and making Kaiba grit his teeth against the sudden loss that had him grabbing the edge of the table to steady himself. The sudden loss made Kaiba's vision blacken around the edges, but he fought against it and watched as Yami turned to face Jounouchi who had angrily stormed over to them. "Jounouchi-kun," Yami said in warning, assuming a defensive posture as he crossed his arms over his chest, acutely aware of the heavy chain digging into his skin through the jacket uniform.

"Don't 'Jounouchi-kun' me!" he snapped, the depths of his indignation only starting to make itself known. "What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

"Get out," Yami ordered, not in the mood to deal with his friend's misguided sense of fairness and justice.

"Why, so you can finish what you started?" Jounouchi demanded with a rude snort.

"Get. _Out_," Kaiba repeated with emphasis, annoyed and almost embarrassed that they had been caught in such a position.

Jounouchi was about to shoot back with another angry retort when he saw Bakura's unconscious body on the floor. Rushing at Kaiba and fisting his uniform tightly, Jounouchi yelled, "Seriously, what is your problem? Why do you keep hurting him?"

The feuding teens were both startled when Yami forced them apart, his smaller body aided with the powers of the Millennium Puzzle that was still answering to him. "Stop blaming him!" Yami exclaimed, thoroughly sick of his friend always assuming the worst about Kaiba and his actions.

"What, so now you're covering for him?" Jounouchi scoffed, looking incredulously at Yami and seeing nothing but Yuugi. "Why am I not surprised?"

"No, I'm telling you that I'm responsible for that and to—"

"_You_ did that?" Jounouchi interrupted, unable to accept that his friend would do such a thing, especially if Yuugi was able to put a stop to it like before.

Pushed past a point of reasoning, Yami lashed out with tendrils of shadows that wrapped around Jounouchi and forced him back several steps. "Yes, and he deserved far worse," Yami hissed, the shadows tightening their grip in his displeasure.

"How can you say that?" Jounouchi questioned, trying not to panic when he saw that nothing was physically holding him in place despite the pressure he could feel being exuded on him.

"Why do you keep trying to say anything at all?" Yami countered, the room darkening with every step closer he took toward Jounouchi. "You know _nothing_ and yet you have the audacity to come storming in here—"

"You're in Yuugi's body and—" Jounouchi tried to counter, but to no avail.

At those words, Yami's rage was almost blinding and his powers reacted before he was conscious of his tightening grip on his friend. "You think I don't know that?" Yami yelled as he glared hatefully at Jounouchi, his anger and hurt manifesting itself over the situation. "You think I'm not reminded of that every day when—"

"And yet despite all of those reminders, you still seem to forget," Jounouchi interrupted to challenge, emboldened by his defense of his friends.

"Why, you—!" Yami exclaimed, unable to find the words as he rushed at Jounouchi in his blinding fury.

Recognizing that he had to take control, Kaiba stopped Yami's charge with an arm around his waist. He struggled against it with a surprisingly feral growl, but Kaiba said, "Enough," as he used his other hand to grasp Yami's shoulder with a firm squeeze to act as a reminder. Even though there was a part of Kaiba that would love to see Jounouchi put in his place, he knew that Yami wasn't that kind of person and Yuugi wouldn't want it either. "Don't do something you'll regret later."

When the shadows tightened further in defiance, Kaiba was startled to hear Jounouchi gasping for breath, unable to claw at the invisible fingers that were cutting off his air supply. "It's not worth it," Kaiba quietly counseled, knowing from his own experience of punching the mutt that it did nothing to improve the situation. "Let him go. He's not worth this."

The advice was enough to make Yami turn back to look up at Kaiba; he didn't understand the barely hidden sadness that was present in those haunted blue eyes. "But you hate him," Yami stated, confusing both Jounouchi and Kaiba about what point Yami was trying to make.

"I'd hate dealing with both you and Yuugi regretting your actions later," Kaiba explained. "He's not the one you're mad at."

The shadows holding Jounouchi captive disappeared and the teen collapsed onto the floor coughing violently as he tried to recover from his ordeal. Kaiba stared at Jounouchi apathetically, even as Yami collapsed against his side in angry tears as the stress of the situation started to catch up with him; the burn of tears was almost as painful as the powerful feeling of uselessness he was suffering under continually. There was nothing that Kaiba could do except hold onto Yami and he offered his silence as sanctuary, trying to remain strong for them both, even as he felt like he was breaking apart on the inside himself.

Jounouchi knew that he should offer an apology, but it could wait; it was too hard to listen to his friend's pain and knowing that he had done something to contribute to it. Instead of making a bad situation any worse, Jounouchi left as discretely as possible with Ryou, daring to glance at Kaiba one last time before shutting the door behind him.

Only then did Kaiba wrap both arms around Yami as he accepted the penance of listening to Yami cry the tears he couldn't afford to let himself shed. Something had to change and soon, regardless of how Kaiba managed to accomplish it.

* * *

**A/N:** FFnet has really been a mess lately and uploading has been difficult, so yet again I'm delayed by them. They're ruining my promises and I apologize for that.

One thing that I feel the need to clarify is how the Yami/Yuugi body sharing thing works in my fic; there seems to be some confusion about which canon I'm using for depiction. I don't believe that Yuugi's body physically changes when Yami changes places with him; it's just not realistic for Yuugi to get taller, darker, etc without anyone else noticing. I think that when Yami takes over, he deepens his voice as a way of differentiating himself, but in times of high emotions, I can see it slipping a bit—a la the early episode of Duel Monsters. Hopefully that helps clear it up a bit.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_You're missing too many memories to be of any use to the pharaoh," Isis explained as she gestured at the artifacts that surrounded them. "You refuse to acknowledge the past, let alone accept it as truth."_

Update will be posted on **Sunday, April 3rd**, provided FFnet has its problems straightened out by then. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! It was really encouraging to hear from you all again and I look forward to responding to you all!


	20. Chapter 20: Necessary Information

**Chapter 20: Necessary Information**

Kaiba would never openly acknowledge that it was desperation that had driven him to the Domino Museum of Art, but it was hard to call it anything else. He needed answers on how to resolve their current situation and unfortunately for Kaiba, there was only one outsider that he could even remotely trust to help with getting Yami's body back.

He had never enjoyed museums to begin with and that feeling had only grown stronger in the intervening years. In Kaiba's eyes, it was nothing but a storage shed for useless artifacts from an irrelevant past with no place in the present. However, as he started to learn more about his former incarnation, walking through the ancient Egyptian section of the museum was an unnerving experience—especially when he knew that Isis Ishtar was the curator. He wouldn't put it past the infuriating woman to include objects that had once belonged to Seto and display them just to try and taunt him.

Keeping his eyes firmly focused on where he was walking, Kaiba disregarded everything he passed by as he walked toward the back room he had met her in before the Battle City Tournament had begun. He felt foolish and he burned with shameful humiliation at having to seek out such a person, but if it was the difference between having Yami back in his proper form and having him trapped inside the Millennium Puzzle, it was a sacrifice that Kaiba was willing to make; the alternative was just unacceptable.

When Kaiba saw the Dueling Stele hanging prominently on the wall where he had last seen it, he felt that familiar hollow ache in his soul that whispered of ancient failures and regrets. He could feel it trying to suck him into another flashback of a life he didn't want to know anything else about, so Kaiba resisted it as best he could.

"You know, it could be trying to show you something useful," Isis chided in her dulcet tone that immediately incensed Kaiba. "So stubborn in both lifetimes…"

Ignoring her advice and turning away from the stele to face her, Kaiba tried to refrain from glaring too hatefully at the woman; he still had a use for her. "It would save us both time and effort if you just told me what I need to do," Kaiba growled, bristling so deeply that he wondered if it was his soul's reaction to the woman he hated almost as much in this life as the last.

"It's not that easy," Isis claimed as she walked closer to Kaiba, smiling cryptically at him as she always did.

"Clearly," Kaiba dryly retorted, clamping down on his anger; it would only cause problems with Isis. He knew she enjoyed getting to him and he refused to give her that satisfaction.

"Do you intend to be a part of it now?" Isis inquired, standing just a little too close for Kaiba's comfort.

"What do I need to do?" Kaiba countered, refusing to outright agree to anything that Isis might suggest; he was too much of a businessman to fall for such stupid tricks as those.

"It will require your presence this time."

Even though it was a fairly straightforward answer, it made Kaiba question, "Why this time? Why not last?"

"It's why he was…incomplete last time," Isis tried to explain.

"So you're saying this is _my_ fault?" Kaiba harshly demanded, his voice echoing darkly off the cavernous museum walls.

Laughing behind her hand in her knowingly girlish way, Isis clarified, "That's not what I'm saying, Seto-san."

"It's what you're implying," Kaiba growled, the sound of her laughter grating on his nerves.

"I'm just saying that without you, the pharaoh is incomplete," Isis stated. "Desire alone is not enough to bind him to this world."

"So what do I have to do?" Kaiba demanded, his patience quickly running out since it felt like she was deliberately toying with him.

Smiling sadly at Kaiba, she answered, "That which you are afraid of doing."

"Stop talking such stupid nonsense and give me a straight answer, woman," Kaiba coldly ordered, his glare morphing into something more menacing than simple hatred.

"How can you expect to complete the pharaoh when you yourself are incomplete?"

The words felt like a slap in the face and Kaiba wondered if Isis had somehow found out about his dilemma with Bakura. "What are you talking about?" Kaiba demanded, refusing to confess a failing to her if she didn't already know about it.

"You're missing too many memories to be of any use to the pharaoh," Isis explained as she gestured at the artifacts that surrounded them. "You refuse to acknowledge the past, let alone accept it as truth."

"I've accepted more of it than any sane person would," Kaiba defended himself, hating that he had to say such a thing out loud, especially to the likes of her.

Giving Kaiba an indulgent smile that made his soul ripple with rage, Isis admitted, "I suppose you have. But it still is not enough."

"Then just fucking tell me!" Kaiba snapped, his patience rapidly nearing its end.

"There is a ceremony that only you can perform," Isis finally said as she started to wander along the ancient artifacts along the walls. "It was Seto-sama's to do, but he failed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaiba asked, refusing to follow her aimless walking.

"By the time he learned of the ritual, it was too late for him to do properly," Isis replied, although it did little to help further Kaiba's understanding of the situation.

Forcing himself to take a steadying breath to calm himself before he did something regrettable, Kaiba pressed, "Meaning?"

"His heart was divided in an unforgivable way," Isis said as she returned to his side, giving Kaiba his first clue as to what went wrong. "Your soul still bears the wounds of repercussions for his actions."

"Are you implying what I think you are?" Kaiba asked in a measured tone, fearing for the worst.

"Seto-sama's dalliances with the tomb thief cost him dearly," Isis answered, confirming Kaiba's darkest fears. "However, he is not solely at fault."

"Don't you dare make excuses for that weak-willed bastard who dragged all of us into his mess!" Kaiba yelled, his hands clenching tightly into fists to control the shaking rage that was rocketing through his system.

Shrugging at Kaiba's words, completely nonplussed at his teetering on the precipice of uncontrollable anger, Isis clarified, "Seto-sama's wife and son alone could have hindered his ability to perform the ceremony properly."

"Wait, _what_?" Kaiba asked, reeling from the knowledge Isis had just imparted. He vaguely recalled hearing mentions in flashbacks of Seto having a wife, but Kaiba had never seen her or knew of the child. "What do you know about his wife and kid?"

For the first time since Kaiba had known Isis, she looked away from him with a somber expression that made his inside grow cold with dread. "Seto-sama loved her as much as he was capable of," Isis said with a heavy sadness that made Kaiba feel increasingly awkward.

"Do you know her name?" Kaiba asked before he had even processed the question. It wasn't something he wanted to know the answer to, but he had to know before he drove himself further off the brink trying to search his own mind for such mysteries.

"I do not wish to speak it," Isis refused.

"So you tell me to remember, but you won't even answer a question you know an answer to?" Kaiba sneered. "Aren't you obligated to serve your pharaoh?"

Frowning slightly at Kaiba invoking her sole purpose for existence, Isis sighed heavily before speaking the ancient name, "Nefersherit."

Kaiba felt the world drop out from under him and he physically staggered back from Isis with the pain of shock. "No," Kaiba whispered, before repeating it over and over again a little bit louder each time, as if that would change things. "No, she was—"

"She was originally the pharaoh's wife before she married Seto-sama to ensure his ascension to the throne," Isis explained, wondering just how much Kaiba knew of the woman. "He had no choice in the matter."

"_Why_?" Kaiba whispered, the word full of anguish and betrayal as he found even more reasons to hate his former incarnation.

"Because Seto-sama had promised the pharaoh to protect her," Isis gently said, wishing she still had a fully functional Millennium Eye to guide her in her actions. "That promise extended to their unborn child."

"Their?" Kaiba repeated, his heart thudding painfully in his chest with all of the news.

"The pharaoh was unaware of his progeny when he was sealed away," Isis explained.

Kaiba could feel a surge of ancient agony in the depths of his soul at the information and he fell to his knees with the overwhelming pressure of it all. "What are you saying?" Kaiba finally managed to ask, staring blankly at the floor as whispers of the past brushed against his mind.

"That Seto-sama's affections were as fragmented as his soul," Isis said, plunging Kaiba even further into his own dark shock. "He bound himself to the Millennium Ring to ensure that the tomb thief would remain trapped inside of it. When combined with his complicated feelings toward his adopted son—"

Kaiba didn't want to hear about Seto's feelings about a dead man's son, so he interrupted her, "So I have to get back that fragment from Bakura?"

"Perhaps not," Isis stated, offering not the least bit of comfort to Kaiba. "That remains wholly Seto-sama's soul. It would taint yours with the remembrances of affections during such a ceremony."

"Then what do I have to do?" Kaiba asked, forcing himself to his feet to prevent further embarrassment in front of the astute woman; he had suffered too many lapses already, but it was just too much to take in all at once.

"Remember the ceremony and perform it with the full strength of your undivided love for the pharaoh," Isis answered. "I will assist when possible, however…"

"I can do it myself," Kaiba gruffly told her, systematically trying to wall up his rampaging emotions from too many revelations dropped on him at once.

"I will still need to be there to preside," Isis informed him.

Rather than reacting to her words, Kaiba focused himself on the more important question, "How long until I can bring him back?"

Shrugging, Isis pointed out, "That depends entirely on you. Once you allow yourself to remember, we can perform the ceremony here with an object specifically commissioned for this purpose."

"Show it to me," Kaiba demanded, his voice finally regaining some of the strength it had lost.

"It is not time yet," Isis refused, "but it will be ready when you are."

Sneering at the woman, Kaiba's rage bled into his words as he demanded, "Anything else?"

"Not at this time," Isis answered, ignoring the dangerous shift in the air surrounding Kaiba. "I shall take my leave now."

Kaiba said nothing as she walked away, leaving him alone in the large room full of artifacts from his ancient past. Looking over at the Dueling Stele that was closest to him, Kaiba found himself lashing out without thought, punching at the etching of Seto and destroying the glass in between them. _This is all your fucking fault_, Kaiba swore at the representation of his inherited weakness. Kaiba burned with humiliation as he stared at the figure, felt the flaws of Seto's character as if they were his own. The transgressions against the priest kept adding up in an unforgivable way for Kaiba; it was bad enough when it was just Bakura, but now to add even more complications? It just made Kaiba wanted to brutally punish Seto in impossible ways for getting them all caught up in his mess.

The level of animosity Kaiba held toward his former self was far from healthy and he resented having to recall a useless past that was the only way to recover Yami. He knew he would do anything to save Yami, but it didn't stop Kaiba from wishing there was another way to do it. Asking Isis for assistance had been hard enough; accepting the priest's past was going to be a far more arduous task. He didn't want to know anything else about his betrayal with Bakura, let alone discover the truth behind Nefersherit and her son. What use was that to him if it involved things that occurred after the pharaoh had been sealed away? The latter two left Kaiba with an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't help but wonder what Yami's reaction would be if he knew.

To Kaiba's knowledge, Yami was aware that Nefersherit existed, but had never seen her in any of his memories. The same was true for Kaiba, although he feared that he now knew more about the woman than Yami did and it felt weird to hide that from him. If he found out more, would he have to tell Yami? If Yami found out about Nefersherit and her son, how would he react? They were questions that Kaiba didn't have answers to and didn't want to know.

It all filled Kaiba with an almost unbearable anger and it was just aching for an outlet when combined with the rest of his stresses over the situation. As much as Kaiba felt obligated to seek out solitude and meditate in the hopes of finding the answers he needed, he was just too amped up over the flood of information to do so productively. Until he got rid of some of his pent up rage, he wouldn't be ready to accept anything from the priest and it was that single decision that drove him out of the museum and on his way to one of his few sanctuaries.

* * *

**A/N:** Due to the ongoing FFnet issues, I haven't been able to do my review replies. I ask for patience with this issue, because I'm just waiting for this damn site to get its act together. I don't know if anyone else is having the same type of problems with alerts, notifications, and posting that I am, but if anything comes through at all, it's 36+ hours and it's just getting ridiculous. I don't think the responses I've sent are even being delivered, so I hope you all understand. I'm still checking reviews on the site, so I at least know they're getting through and I thank you all. Here's hoping FFnet gets it all sorted soon, because it's just beyond ridiculous.

As to this chapter…all I ask is that you trust me on this. I'm not interested in soap operas and this all plays out in full later (thus the title), so just hang in there for the rest of this ride, ne?

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I must say, I wasn't expecting this," Ogata commented as he entered the dojo, soundlessly gliding over the wood floor as he approached Kaiba._

Next update goes up on **Sunday, April 10th**, once again, provided that FFnet doesn't lock me out of the site again. Maybe by then I'll be able to respond to reviews… _


	21. Chapter 21: Turmoil

**Chapter 21: Turmoil**

"I must say, I wasn't expecting this," Ogata commented as he entered the dojo, soundlessly gliding over the wood floor as he approached Kaiba.

Rather than saying anything, Kaiba answered with his fist as he lashed out at Ogata the instant he was within range. Ogata dodged, immediately going on the defensive from the first volley of attacks, blocking punches and kicks as Kaiba attacked. Only once he saw an opening did Ogata return the favor, kicking out at Kaiba hard enough to drive him back to form a bit of distance between them so he could regroup. "Hell of a hello, Seto," Ogata teased, his chuckle ending in a grunt when Kaiba landed another blow to his stomach. "Come on, say something."

"Shut the fuck up and fight me," Kaiba growled as he started another round of attack, viciously going for Ogata's weak points and hoping it would inspire the older man to come at him just as hard.

Figuring that there would be time for words after they were both too exhausted to continue the physical fight, Ogata obliged his boss and started his counterattack. Setting a brutal pace, Ogata was shocked when he realized how many of his blows were landing. He experimentally threw a punch that he knew Kaiba could easily block, but there was only a half-hearted attempt to block it. Ogata was immediately suspicious and he wondered what was going on to make his boss act out in such a way. "What happened?" Ogata questioned, earning him a hard kick for his efforts.

"Nothing that concerns you," Kaiba snapped, displeased that Ogata had slowed down to start talking again.

"That's almost as weak as your left hook," Ogata insulted, earning him a defiantly hard punch from Kaiba's left fist just to prove otherwise. "Did you find out something about Yami?"

"I'm not here to talk about that," Kaiba spat, forcing Ogata to once again go on the defensive to stop him from running his mouth off further.

"Obviously," Ogata dryly replied before returning the favor and trying to do a sweeping kick to throw Kaiba off-balance. Kaiba jumped away from it and did a back handspring out of it with such grace that Ogata was convinced his boss was showing off just to annoy him. "Seriously, when do you practice this shit?"

Kaiba didn't bother answering and instead he started on the offensive again, infuriating Ogata. "Are you trying to get me to punish you for what happened earlier with Yami?" Ogata challenged, narrowly missing a blow that was aimed to his face.

On a deeper level, Kaiba suspected his actions were more complicated than just hoping to blow off some steam with his favorite punching bag. Between finding out about all of the priest's failings, the depths of his follies, combined with Kaiba's failures with Yami and Isis' infuriating attitude—there was a valid argument for wanting to take some abuse that no one else would dish out to him. "Stop trying to analyze me," Kaiba snapped, shocking Ogata enough that a hard kick to his stomach went undefended.

Ogata wheezed from the air being knocked out of him, but he dropped and rolled out of the way of the next kick. "Then stop acting so stupid," Ogata shot back, feigning with his left fist only to land a hard hit to Kaiba's shoulder with his right. "If this is about Yami—"

It hurt, but it still wasn't enough to absolve Kaiba of the sins of his soul. "If I wanted a therapist, I'd hire one," Kaiba said in a haughty voice that rubbed Ogata the wrong way. "So shut your damn mouth, Ogata!"

Once again narrowly dodging a punch aimed to his mouth, Ogata narrowed his eyes at the younger man in irritation. Moving faster than the teen had been expecting, Ogata got behind him and kicked Kaiba's legs out from under him. Before Kaiba could reverse himself out of the fall, Ogata grabbed the teen's arm and twisted it hard behind his back for leverage. The grunt of pain Kaiba let out when he landed was almost enough to make Ogata loosen his hold, but he knew his sparring partner too well to fall for such a trick.

"No, you shut your mouth and fucking listen to _me_," Ogata growled in a tone that was menacing enough to make Kaiba temporarily cease his movements. "As your friend, I'm not going to—"

"Spare me your friendship speech," Kaiba interrupted, wincing when his comment made Ogata twist his arm at a more awkward angle.

"I'm not going to be your weapon of self-flagellation," Ogata continued, not giving an inch when Kaiba started trying to struggle to free himself once more. "This isn't helping Yami at all, so—"

"Why don't you let me up, then?" Kaiba challenged, growing more and more irritated by his inability to free himself.

"I will when you stop acting like an idiot," Ogata told him, earning a rather rude snort from his captive. "Tell me what happened. Did you hear from Hoshino again?"

"I doubt I'll be hearing from her any time soon," Kaiba muttered, knowing that she was probably frantically regrouping after Yami's disappearance.

The comment confused Ogata and he asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" Silence was his only answer and it disturbed Ogata; he knew how ruthless Kaiba could be and it was cause for concern. "Seto, what did you do to her?"

"Nothing yet," Kaiba honestly stated, but there was a darkness in his voice that Ogata hadn't heard in a long time.

"What are you planning?"

"Her demise," Kaiba replied with a humorless laugh that chilled Ogata.

Sighing heavily, Ogata looked down sadly at Kaiba as he warned, "You can't kill her."

"Death would be too good for that whore," Kaiba spat, his voice full of a venomous hatred that was reserved for only two other people. Besides, he knew that Yami would never forgive murdering her; there were still other ways to punish her, though. "I will make her _suffer_. I will take away everything she cares for and leave her in utter ruination, completely penniless and publically humiliated with no chance of recourse. And when she tries to recover, I will _decimate_ her. She'll wish for death by the time I'm done with her."

Ogata could only imagine the elaborate schemes Kaiba had planned out to wreck the woman's life and it made him ask, "But is that what Yami would want?"

Kaiba took advantage of Ogata's loosened grip and wrenched himself free, rolling over rapidly and sitting up to face the older man. "It's what _I_ want," Kaiba answered, his blue gaze hard and unforgiving as he stared at Ogata. "I will punish her for this and—"

"And it doesn't bring him back," Ogata finished the sentence, half-expecting Kaiba to try and kick him for it.

"Don't you think I know that?" Kaiba snapped, feeling the burn of Ogata's words despite knowing that he technically already had Yami back. "And if you won't help me—"

"I'm not saying that," Ogata quickly interjected, although he was honestly a little surprised that Kaiba wasn't insisting on doing it all himself. It made him wonder what exactly Kaiba was planning if he couldn't take care of it by himself, but those were questions for another time. "I'll do whatever you need, but—"

"Let me worry about Yami," Kaiba said, knowing that it was his sole responsibility and task. "I'll bring him back myself, no matter what it takes."

"And how do you intend to do that?" Ogata pressed, wondering what else Kaiba had planned.

"At any cost," Kaiba grimly answered, knowing that it wasn't going to be easy or pleasant. But there was nothing that would stop Kaiba from accomplishing his task; he would get Yami back at any cost and that was all there was to it.

* * *

**A/N:** Gotta love a throw down~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Are you trying to ask if you can spend the night here?" Yami asked, holding back a smile that he knew would only make Kaiba's frown deepen. _

Update should go up on **Sunday, April 17th**, so enjoy!


	22. Chapter 22: Apprehension

**A/N: There's an important schedule update announcement at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Apprehension **

"Seto-kun, what are you—I mean, Kaiba-kun," Yuugi greeted Kaiba, earning him a raised eyebrow from the man in question. "Sorry, it's just that Yami calls you Seto and since he's—"

"It's fine," Kaiba reassured him as Yuugi stepped aside and granted him entrance into the Mutou house.

"This time or…?" Yuugi hesitantly asked as he shut the door and locked it behind him.

Shrugging, Kaiba said, "Whatever, I don't care one way or the other."

"_Really_?" Yuugi asked with a bright smile and a bubble of excitement that Kaiba didn't understand.

"Sure," Kaiba consented, although he couldn't help but wonder if Yuugi was going to think he agreed in order to have him comply with his request.

Resisting the urge to say the name he was just granted permission to use, Yuugi offered, "I'm assuming you want to talk to Yami?"

"It would be appreciated," Kaiba confirmed, feeling incredibly awkward.

Gesturing for Kaiba to follow him upstairs, Yuugi led the way to Yami's room, changing places with the ancient spirit on the way. Kaiba could swear he almost felt the change in the current of the air, but he brushed it off as an overly vivid imagination.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Yami commented, but he made no move to approach Kaiba. There was an uneasy aloofness to him that made Yami hesitant to act until he had a better indication of Kaiba's mood; it hurt less to delay than to be rejected. "Pleasantly so, but…"

"We need to talk," Kaiba quietly stated, causing Yami's heart to plummet.

"About?" Yami prompted, trying to keep the waiver of fear out of his voice. Too much time alone in the Millennium Puzzle had given Yami plenty of ideas about how badly that conversation could go.

Shaking his head, Kaiba said, "Not here."

"Let me go get changed and—"

"That's not what I meant either," Kaiba interrupted, looking to the floor momentarily to gather his thoughts on the matter.

That temporarily stopped Yami as he tried to understand what Kaiba was attempting to ask of him. "Then where?" Yami finally asked since he wasn't making any progress on his own.

"If I stay here tonight," Kaiba awkwardly attempted to begin, but he didn't make much progress before lapsing into silence with a frown.

"Are you trying to ask if you can spend the night here?" Yami asked, holding back a smile that he knew would only make Kaiba's frown deepen.

"Not just that," Kaiba mumbled as his cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment. He was annoyed with himself for not just directly coming out and saying that he wanted to borrow the Millennium Puzzle again for the night, but it was such a hard thing for him to request.

Taking pity on his boyfriend's obvious discomfort, Yami guessed, "With the Millennium Puzzle?"

"If that's the best way to achieve this," Kaiba replied, grateful and irritated all at once by Yami's ability to read him properly; somehow it just seemed worse when he was in Yuugi's body.

"_Aibou,"_ Yami reached out to his other half who was thoughtfully giving them as much privacy as possible.

"_You know you don't even have to ask,"_ Yuugi preemptively responded, knowing there was very little that Yami would ask of him that he would ever deny.

Sending a wave of gratitude to Yuugi, Yami told Kaiba, "It's not a problem. When do you want to do this?"

"Now?" Kaiba suggested, still holding himself defensively even though he had met no resistance to the idea.

"On one condition," Yami granted, immediately making Kaiba suspicious.

"What?" Kaiba demanded, bristling with his irritation over the stipulation.

Boldly hugging Kaiba, Yami requested, "No repeats of last time. If you're just going to reject me again, then—"

Interrupting Yami's self-conscious rant by loosely returning the hug, Kaiba reassured him, "I'm not going to do that."

Exhaling heavily in his relief, Yami tightened his embrace before stepping out of it with a decisive, "Good. Anything else?"

"I was going to take a quick shower," Kaiba said, wanting to wash off the aftermath from his earlier fight with Ogata.

"Okay, I'll leave you to it," Yami agreed, switching places once more with Yuugi after Kaiba left the room.

* * *

The sight of the Millennium Puzzle waiting for him on the bed was an upsetting visual to Kaiba, but he pushed his feelings down on the issue. They served no purpose, so he put them out of mind as he turned off the lights and slipped into bed after discarding his towel. It felt weird to lie down in bed so early, but as mentally and physically exhausted as he was after such a day, Kaiba doubted he would have his usual difficulties of falling asleep.

Exhaling heavily, Kaiba tried to preplan how he was going to handle the situation, but he knew that no matter how carefully he planned, Yami was a variable he could rarely map out successfully—especially with circumstances regarding their shared ancient past. No, Kaiba had a feeling that it was going to unfold at its own rate and there was no point in wasting time plotting for a scenario that would deviate dramatically beyond whatever he had planned.

Closing his eyes and sighing heavily at the surrounding darkness, Kaiba felt the dull ache in his body that he knew was going to hurt like hell in the morning. His sole consolation was that Ogata would be suffering far worse and that made him snort quietly to himself in dark amusement.

Settling down and shifting to try and get comfortable, Kaiba hesitantly reached out and brushed his fingers against the Millennium Puzzle's eye and felt it react to the contact. Yami's presence ghosted of his mind and Kaiba instinctively found himself relaxing at the phantom touch. Even though part of Kaiba was curious to explore that, he felt himself pulled into a long overdue dream.

* * *

**A/N:** The good news is that the next update will have a lemon (of sorts) in it. The bad news is that due to an unexpected personal emergency, I have to once again go on an unavoidable **hiatus until Sunday, May 15th**. I'm so sorry, but this is out of my hands and I'm just so, so very sorry that it impacts you, my dearest readers. I will post **updates on my** **LJ and Twitter** in the unlikely event I can update before that or maybe a preview if I can manage it, but for now, the 15th is the earliest I'm going to be able to post.

I hate doing this, but I just have no choice right now and I hope everyone can forgive me. I can only hope that no one gives up on me, because I really do have lots of exciting things planned for this story and my upcoming ones.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_How can you be so sure?' Kaiba whispered before he initiated another slow kiss, caressing Yami's cheek as he indulged himself in what he had previously rejected. _

As I mentioned, if things get better, I'll do my utmost to post early because I hate having to do this. But as it stands, the next update on _Lost & Found _will be **Sunday, May 15th**. Until we meet again, I hope you can forgive this authoress for this.


	23. Chapter 23: Reconnecting

**A/N:** Welcome back, everyone! Here's a **lemon** for your patience~.

* * *

**Chapter 23: Reconnecting**

"_Are you trying to tell me something?" Yami asked as he entered the ancient palace bedchambers where Kaiba was waiting for him._

_It had been a calculated creation, a small step toward accomplishing his mission. "I will stop at nothing to get you back," Kaiba promised, gently caressing Yami's cheek and wishing it wasn't just in a dream. _

"_I know that," Yami said as he covered Kaiba's hand in his and kissed his palm before letting go. "But this is something only I can do, Seto."_

"_Is that what she told you?" Kaiba asked, thoroughly confusing Yami with the question._

"_Who, Isis?"_

_Scowling at the mere mention of the woman, Kaiba tried to quash his immediate reactions to her. "Is there someone else you've been going to for information?" Kaiba countered, his sarcasm masking the truth in his question. _

"_No," Yami denied in a measured tone, carefully examining Kaiba's expression. "Who else would I go to?"_

_The only other person Kaiba could think of was Bakura and that was something best left alone. Shrugging instead of answering, Kaiba waited for Yami to say something further. _

"_What's this about, Seto?" Yami finally asked when it was clear that Kaiba wasn't going to speak. "Help me understand what's going on."_

"_Did she tell you that this was something only you could do?" Kaiba expounded, wondering if he was going to have to go back to the museum and torture the Egyptian curator for her misleading information._

_Yami started to speak and then paused as he considered the condition in its entirety. "Well, no," Yami realized, his eyebrows furrowing, "but there was no on one else other than her who knew how to perform the ceremony."_

"_Is that your assumption or her assertion?" Kaiba pressed, further confounding Yami._

"_Did you go see her or something?" Yami asked, trying to understand Kaiba's odd line of thought. _

"_I can't leave you like this," Kaiba confessed, although he refused to admit to visiting Isis for information. There was something humiliating about having to rely on that woman for help, plus he didn't trust her—let alone with something as important as Yami's spirit. _

_Kissing Kaiba lightly on the lips and grateful that he didn't pull away, Yami reassured him, "I have no intentions of staying like this, either. Now what did she tell you that has you this worked up?"_

_A protest about not being worked up was on the tip of his tongue, but Kaiba swallowed down his instinct to react. "The flaw in your…permanence was a result of her failure to perform the correct ceremony," Kaiba explained, although he found the words distasteful._

"_What?" Yami exclaimed as he took a step back in shock. "What do you mean?"_

"_She was incapable of doing it alone," Kaiba clarified, although it did little to mollify Yami's reaction._

_It was hard to wrap his mind around what was being said and Yami continued protesting, "But it's been over a year! How is that not—? What did she tell you?"_

"_That the ceremony was mine to conduct," Kaiba finally force himself to say, knowing that he wouldn't get what he needed by withholding the truth. _

_Yami's first reaction of shock was quickly replaced with relief as he realized, "Then that should make it easier!"_

"_If it was easier, don't you think I would have already done it by now?" Kaiba snapped, his tone becoming harsh out of his irritation at himself and his inability to do anything to change the situation. "Do you think that I would have left you like this? That I would have—"_

_Hugging Kaiba tightly and burying his face against his chest, Yami interrupted, "That's not what I meant. I just meant that if we're working together, then it should be easier for us to—"_

"_No," Kaiba growled, even as his arms pulled Yami closer to him in a fierce hug. "I have to remember the ceremony and that bastard priest's memories."_

"Oh_," Yami breathed with a new understanding, feeling his heart drop a little at the fact it may take far longer than he had previously expected to materialize. _

_Kaiba never would have admitted that it took a lot of courage for him to ask, "What would you do if you knew everything?"_

"_It changes nothing," Yami reassured him, trying to make Kaiba look at him. He was surprised at the utter sadness in Kaiba's eyes, at the slightest glint of what could almost be called fear. _

"_How can you be so sure?' Kaiba whispered before he initiated another slow kiss, caressing Yami's cheek as he indulged himself in what he had previously rejected. _

"_Because nothing from back then can change the way I feel about you now," Yami told him, his voice firm and insistent in its attempt to convince Kaiba. _

_The words gave Kaiba a comfort that he would never be okay with receiving, but he couldn't dwell too deeply on it. "I need to know what you remember from back then," Kaiba said, although he wasn't sure how to make such a thing happen. _

"_I don't think I know how to do that," Yami hesitantly stated before quickly adding, "but I can find out."_

_Nodding in acknowledgement and trying not to feel the disappointment, Kaiba left it at that and wondered how else he was going to be able to succeed in remembering what he needed to know. He was distracted by Yami hesitantly offering, "Next time, I might be able to help you."_

"_Why not this time?" Kaiba wondered aloud. _

"_Because right now I'm more interested in us than them," Yami replied, knowing it was probably the wrong answer and not caring._

"_Are you sure?" Kaiba asked, knowing that he was forced to do things at Yami's pace for once. _

"_It's not like I'll be able to materialize tomorrow even if we tried focusing on them," Yami rationalized, making Kaiba burn with the pain of failure that was becoming all too familiar._

"_I'll make it happen," Kaiba swore before capturing Yami's lips in a demanding kiss, finally giving in to his dark passions that had been held at bay for too long. _

_It gave Yami a strengthened confidence to hear Kaiba's determination and he gave himself over to the pleasures of his boyfriend's talented mouth and tongue. He found strength in the conviction of Kaiba's passion and Yami started eagerly divesting them of their clothes while they kissed. It was a bit surprising that Kaiba allowed it without a single murmur of protest, but Yami wasn't going to question his luck. _

_Rather than fight against what he had been denying so long, Kaiba edged them toward the bed in order to move things further. Yami pounced the moment they were on it, pinning Kaiba beneath him with a cocky smirk that was as reassuring as it was condemning. Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of his own reaction, Kaiba merely reached up and pulled Yami closer for another deep kiss, loving the way the former pharaoh's body instinctually moved against his. _

_Taking a chance, Yami reached out to Kaiba with his soul, seeking an embrace in the most intimate of ways. With some amount of hesitation, Kaiba allowed it, knowing it was probably the easiest way to achieve his goals. However, that thought was quickly abandoned when he was immersed in the totality of Yami's existence, causing Kaiba to moan quietly as he arched under Yami. He could feel Yami's pleasure echoing through his very core and it took a moment for Kaiba to process the extra sensory overflow. It was only after the initial rush settled that Kaiba could detect the faint traces of frustrated sadness that Yami was trying so hard to ignore. _

_Instead of giving Kaiba time to dwell on the issue, Yami started kissing him in earnest as his hands travelled aimlessly with the sole purpose of heightening their pleasure. Even though Kaiba understood that it was a distraction, it didn't matter. He gave it back as good as he got it, reveling in the reverb of sensations rather than rejecting it. After being alone for so long, it was a relief to feel Yami so closely, to know firsthand that he was okay without Yuugi acting as a medium. _

_Taking advantage of the benefit of a dream, Yami wasted no time in lowering himself onto Kaiba's hardened member and not stopping until they were completely joined. Taking a moment to get situated, Yami sighed, "It's been too long…"_

_When Kaiba said nothing more than, "Mm," Yami reached out and stroked their shared connection. It made Kaiba buck up into him with a gasp, triggering a shudder in Yami as he felt the action and its echo from within the link. _

_Since they weren't bound by the laws and consequences of reality, Yami started a hard rhythm, pleased when Kaiba met his every bounce with a pleasurable thrust. It made it easy to lose himself in the exchange of sensations and emotions, although it became harder to distinguish what belonged to him and what belonged to Kaiba as they continued. Yami felt their souls blending seamlessly in a way that made him cry out Kaiba's name loudly as they moved together. _

_Although he normally would have had reservations about indulging so deeply in foreign emotions that were so strong, Kaiba couldn't restrain himself in the dream. It made him hold onto Yami's hips with an almost bruising force, not wanting to let go for fear the dream would disappear with him. He was more vocal that he dared to be in waking hours and Kaiba wanted to take it further, felt an urge to do something more, but he didn't understand what that would be. Instead, Kaiba just focused on obliterating the darkness within Yami, shifting positions and continuing the nearly frenetic pacing that would never have lasted long in reality._

_As Yami neared his peak, he felt as if he could meld his soul with Kaiba's, wanted to fill that emptiness and become something greater. He was melting into Kaiba and losing his ability to think as if every fiber of being centered around the man underneath him that he was riding hard. It drove him forward to kiss Kaiba deeply, although the shift in positions almost had him shouting in ecstasy when it allowed him to hit a new depth. He could barely control himself as he moved blindly in search of pleasure and Yami leaned forward further to rest his glowing third eye against Kaiba's corresponding one. The increased connection between them made Yami cum hard as his whole body reacted to the surrounding presence he encountered. _

_It made Kaiba feel a sense of wholeness he had never known was possible as he felt Yami's soul move against his and it was enough to distract him from being aware of his own orgasm. The feeling was so pure that Kaiba wasn't even sure what to call it, but it felt a lot like bliss and he never wanted to let that feeling go. _

_There were no words breathed in the silence as they luxuriated in each other, still intimately connected with their bodies. Eventually Yami felt the pull of disconnect and it made him sigh heavily as he struggled to maintain it. "This is the only thing I'll miss when I get my body back," Yami complained as their souls returned to their respective separate states. _

"_Direct access and dreams?" Kaiba questioned, secretly agreeing with the sentiment even if he would never admit it out loud._

"_Yes," Yami confirmed as he collapsed against Kaiba's chest with a groan, missing the feeling already._

"_I would rather have you back," Kaiba murmured as he held Yami tightly against him in a hug. _

"_We'll do it," Yami stated, confident that between the two of them they would be able to pull it off together._

_It made Kaiba feel grateful that they weren't still connected, because he didn't want Yami to feel the doubts and uncertainty he had about the situation. "Mm," was all Kaiba would let himself say, focusing on Yami to try and stave off the unpleasantness that was fast encroaching on his single moment of respite since the whole ordeal began._

* * *

**A/N:** So I hope that this was worth the wait! I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but the good news is that I am now Kamiyashi, M.A. since I've successfully been awarded a master's degree in modern Japanese literature. I appreciate your patience and support over the past two years while I've worked toward this. I really do have the best readers~.

Now that I've reclaimed my time, I'll be much better about answering reviews. So I hope to hear from you again in the future! Especially now that we can get back to the exciting stuff coming up in this fic in particular.

My dear friend, Elirian, whom you've heard me mention throughout the past several years, is actually coming from a continent away to stay with me for a month! Luckily for all of you, since she's a fellow fan of yours truly and Prideshipping, I won't stop posting updates while she's staying at Casa dell Kami. So we're back to the chapter a week for now! Sounds good, ne?

Oh, and for those of you who are confused about the connection between the guys, please reference back to _Aware_.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_You let him in?" Kaiba demanded as he stared at Yuugi in accusation, still unaware of his switch in language. _

Now whoever could that be? *cheeky grin*

The next update will be on, **Sunday, May 22nd** and I look forward to hearing from you again!


	24. Chapter 24: Lingering

**Chapter 24: Lingering**

When Ogata burst into Yami's room, he hadn't expected to see Kaiba curled up around the Millennium Puzzle in a dead sleep. It stunned him into stillness and he just stared in surprise as Kaiba continued to sleep, his mind racing to understand why his boss would have Yuugi's necklace in bed as if it were a comforting plushy.

"Katsuro-san?" Yuugi hesitantly asked as he exited his room and saw the older man standing in front of Yami's doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Seto and he wasn't answering his phone," Ogata explained as he walked into the room uninvited, raising his voice in the hopes of rousing the man in question and failing.

"How did you know he would be here?" Yuugi wondered as he quickly followed, glancing at Kaiba to judge his current state.

Rather than explaining how he used Kaiba's GPS in his cellphone to track him down, Ogata asked, "Why does he have your necklace?"

Shrugging instead of answering, Yuugi suggested, "If you tell me the message, I can let him know when he wakes up later."

"It's 3.27 in the afternoon," Ogata dryly replied. "How much longer is he going to sleep?"

"If you'd rather write it down, Yami has stuff in his desk that you can use," Yuugi offered, ignoring Ogata's sardonic reaction.

Disregarding Yuugi's offer, Ogata continued watching Kaiba who had yet to so much as twitch in disturbance. "You know, you keep telling me that he's fine, but he's not," Ogata argued with a frown, wondering what they were all trying to hide from him. "He should be awake and yelling at us and yet he's still unconscious."

Yuugi protested, "He's just asleep," and was grateful that it seemed to be the case. There was no golden glow of ancient power, so Yuugi could only assume that Kaiba was asleep.

"With your necklace," Ogata flatly added, not understanding why Kaiba had it.

"What difference does that make?" Yuugi asked, finding Ogata's fixation on the Millennium Puzzle strange.

"Because Yami has a smaller version of it," Ogata explained, knowing that the teen was undoubtedly aware of that fact. "So why would Yami have a smaller version of your necklace that Seto's now sleeping with?"

Yuugi looked to the floor rather than answering, trying to gather his thoughts and figure out the best way to handle the subject. He had no intentions of betraying any of their secrets to Ogata, but Yuugi also recognized he was the kind of man that needed some answer or he would never let the subject go.

Before Yuugi could properly formulate a response, Ogata shoved hard at Kaiba and yelled his name in an attempt at rousing the slumbering teen. It finally earned him a groan on the third attempt as Kaiba tried to turn away, but Ogata held him down and prevented him from rolling over onto his side and escaping. The restraint instantly pulled Kaiba from his sleep with a jolt, causing him to growl defensively as his body moved instinctively to disable his attacker. Kaiba had Ogata pinned face down on the bed in an instant, using the older man's arm as leverage to keep him in place in the most painful manner possible.

"_You dare touch me_?" Kaiba hissed in his ancient language, twisting Ogata's offending arm with enough strength to cause his employee to make a pained shout that was muffled by the covers.

"Shit, Seto—!" Ogata exclaimed, yelping in pain when he felt his wrist start to burn at the point of contact. His position prevented him from seeing the source of it and every attempt to look was met with only more pain.

Yuugi stared in shock at the shadows that were wrapping around Ogata and binding him in place and he knew that things were starting to head in a dangerous direction. It was the only thing that distracted him from the shocking sight of Kaiba's body covered in harsh bruises that stood out noticeably against his pale skin. "Seto-kun—" Yuugi started to say, but he got no further than that.

"_You let him in_?" Kaiba demanded as he stared at Yuugi in accusation, still unaware of his switch in language.

"Uh, no?" Yuugi hesitantly answered, at a loss without Yami there to translate for him. "Please let him go?"

The dark, humorless laugh that resulted chilled both of the men and Ogata shuddered when Kaiba leaned forward and murmured next to his ear, "_I could end you_." Ogata didn't understand the meaning of the foreign words, but they were spoken in a threatening tone of voice that had no right to sound so devastatingly sexy under the circumstances. It caused him to squirm a little and Ogata had to grit his teeth when Kaiba tightened his grip further in retaliation.

Before Yuugi could try to reason with Kaiba again, he was relieved to see a glimpse of gold dissipating the shadowy bonds; even though he wasn't touching the Millennium Puzzle, he knew it was Yami's influence. The distance prevented Yuugi from hearing what Yami was saying or understanding how it was possible for Kaiba to understand, but he was too distracted by the situation to worry about such things.

"_He is not yours to harm,"_ Yami whispered in the depths of Kaiba's mind, only faintly managing to exert his power through the tenuous connection the proximity of the ancient artifact to them both.

"_He is mine to discipline,"_ Kaiba argued back, annoyed by Yami's presumptuousness to meddle, even though it brought him back to awareness of just how far he had slipped in his control. _"Mine to _control_."_

"_That as it may be,"_ Yami agreed, _"all you're succeeding in doing right now is giving him more questions to harass you with later."_

Releasing Ogata's arm in disgust and shoving him off the bed, Kaiba was mildly pacified by the sight of Ogata on his knees, breathing heavily in pain as he tried to recover what had just happened. His actions earned him a mental caress from Yami that made Kaiba shiver before the presence disappeared and left him feeling almost painfully empty. Hardening his gaze as he started down unforgivingly at Ogata, Kaiba demanded, "Explain yourself."

"What the fuck just happened?" Ogata questioned as he turned to face Kaiba properly, although he refrained from getting off of the floor.

"I am under no obligation to answer you," Kaiba haughtily replied, tilting his head arrogantly as he glared at Ogata.

"Given how badly I handed your ass to you yesterday, I think you owe it to me," Ogata shot back, smirking as he admired the evidence of his success from yesterday.

Mistaking the look for a perverse leer, Kaiba growled before kicking out at Ogata and connecting hard with his chest and sending the older man sprawling on the floor. "Tell me why you're here," Kaiba ordered, his tone menacing enough to convince Ogata to cooperate.

"I found her," Ogata finally answered, massaging his arm, dignity be damned. It was still tingling painfully, but he took no other actions as he carefully observed his boss.

When Ogata wasn't forthright with more information, Kaiba pressed, "And?"

Furrowing his eyebrow at Kaiba's lack of reaction, Ogata had expected more of a response than that. Blaming it on waking the recalcitrant CEO up, Ogata continued, "And I say we go get her and Yami before she moves him again."

Sharing a look with Yuugi, who was clutching his shirt where the Millennium Puzzle's chain normally would have been, Kaiba tried to figure out a way to address the matter with Ogata that didn't reveal the truth about what had really happened to Yami. "And if he's not with her?" Kaiba asked, figuring that his natural pessimism would act as a cover for what he was really trying to do.

"Then we'll have to get creative with ways of extracting the information that we want," Ogata replied with a wicked grin, reminding Kaiba that underneath the older man's masochistic streak, there was a sadist lurking just below the surface.

"I'll meet you downstairs," Kaiba dismissed Ogata, please when his wayward employee actually obeyed without comment for once.

Yuugi stayed and Kaiba handed over the Millennium Puzzle to him, but not before Yami got in one final lingering brush over his mind. It was as disconcerting as it was comforting and it made Kaiba ask, "Can he always act that far beyond the range of that thing?"

Slipping the heavy chain over his head and returning the Millennium Puzzle to its rightful place, Yuugi replied, "I've never seen him do it with anyone else."

"Why would he?" Kaiba scoffed, offended at the thought that Yami would ever do anything like that for Jounouchi.

Yuugi had more questions but he knew they could wait until later after Kaiba returned; he doubted that the riled up brunette would answer any of them anyway. "What are you going to do?" Yuugi asked, fearful about what Kaiba's volatile state might mean.

"Nothing less than what that bitch deserves," Kaiba spat, although he knew that his plans were far grander than just physically harming the woman. He wanted to teach her a lesson she would never forget and that required elaborate schemes that would end with far more satisfying results than just bodily harm. Nothing less than total ruination and suffering would please Kaiba and he intended to have his revenge. "I won't kill her if that's what you're worried about."

"Just…be careful," Yuugi softly requested before leaving the room to let Kaiba get ready.

Once again aware of how empty the room was without Yami or his presence in it, Kaiba hurriedly went through the motions of getting dressed in order to leave. He might not be able to get Yami back, but that didn't mean he couldn't start getting his revenge on the woman who had wronged them in ways she would learn to regret.

* * *

**A/N:** For those who were hoping for Bakura, I hope you aren't too disappointed that it was Ogata instead. Bakura will come back in a big way in a few chapters, so hold out a little longer~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Since when has breaking into elevators been part of an ancient skill set?" Kaiba scoffed, finding the whole idea ludicrous._

Thank you for all of your wonderful responses to the last chapter. It was a lovely welcome back to writing after my (too longer) hiatus! As a footnote, I have been trying to reply to your reviews, but FFnet keeps giving me an error, so responses will have to wait a little longer, sadly. But I **will** answer them as soon as the website lets me, so I hope to hear from you soon!

The next chapter will be posted on **Sunday, May 29th**, so until then enjoy!


	25. Chapter 25: Request

**Chapter 25: Request**

Staring out the window of his high rise office, Kaiba felt hollow as he blankly regarded the cityscape before him. He wondered if he would feel better if he had been able to physically harm Hoshino. To break every single one of her fingers that had dared to touch Yami, that had once brought pleasure to Gozaburo. To disfigure her in ways that made her future schemes for money impossible. Would that have made a difference?

At least he would have had an immediately tangible sight of her suffering. He wanted to break her, make her bleed, make her beg for the mercy of death only to deny her. At one time, he would have done that and more, anything to get the vengeance he deserved after her stupidity that had cost him more than he ever thought he would care. Then again, if it had happened when he was his former self, he never would have done such things at the expense of anyone other than Mokuba, let alone someone like Yami.

It was frustrating to not go after her ruthlessly because of his concerns for Yami's reactions. He was past the point of wondering why Yami's disappointment in his actions should matter to him; Kaiba knew why he cared about such things. To spare someone of his ultimate vengeance was more challenging than he would have thought, but in a way it let him take the more creative way that drew out Hoshino's pain and anguish, which Kaiba approved of and preferred to some extent. He knew that Yami probably wouldn't be happy about what he had chosen to do instead, but at least she lived on another day to remember why she should never dare cross paths with Kaiba Seto again. Even though he was willing to concede to a degree on her punishment for Yami, Kaiba refused to let the woman get away with it; his blood burned with the desire for retribution.

No, instead of giving her the easy way out of death, Kaiba would let her know the full extent of his wrath in other ways. Ogata was extremely useful for carrying out the more arduous parts of the task, doing so with great pleasure in exacting his own punishment on the woman for daring to harm the couple. He would have Ogata seduce her with lies, entrapping her with his riches and the temptation of a beautiful younger man and all the money she desired. It was easy for Ogata to toy with a woman like Hoshino; he would earn her trust then turn it against her. Linking her accounts to shady under the table dealings would be the easy part, especially if she was already connected as they suspected. They would leave her utterly destitute by the end of it and then, once she started to recover her money, they would publically scandalize her and take her down once and for all.

It was overly elaborate and would hardly bring the immediate satisfaction of a face to face encounter. There was little that Kaiba himself could do without drawing undue attention to himself and it was infuriating. He wanted to be the one to take her down, but his public position was under close scrutiny and he couldn't afford to let himself or his company be sullied in the process. Taking her down at the cost of himself and his company wasn't a price Kaiba was willing to pay—not when there were other ways for the situation to be handled. Besides, she would be too suspicious of Kaiba; Ogata was an unknown to her and that made it easier to slip past her defenses, especially when she was desperate for the cash.

Regardless of the methodology, none of it brought Yami back to the way he was. There was no sense of victory, no sense of accomplishment even as Ogata put the plans into motion. Ogata was intending to use the opportunities to find out information on Yami, but Kaiba knew that there was nothing to be found.

It had only been sheer luck that the Hoshino lead from the previous day had turned out to be a false sighting from one of Ogata's underground sources. Kaiba never would have imagined that he would be thankful for missing out on a chance to hunt her down, but he couldn't trust himself not to rend her to pieces if he saw her again. Kaiba recognized that his lack of reaction on the issue of Yami was starting to make Ogata suspicious, but there was only so much that he could do to distract the older man. It was Kaiba's intention to have Yami back before any of it became a real issue; they could make up a story about how the former pharaoh got away later.

Rubbing his forehead and sighing heavily at the tension building up inside of him, Kaiba struggled with not being able to remember anything relevant to helping revive Yami's body. Whereas visions had occurred at random previously, they were no longer quick to play anymore. His dreams were filled with dark expanses of emptiness and there wasn't even the smallest sliver of the priest's memories to be found. It was starting to wear on Kaiba because as much as he didn't want to remember, he _needed_ to remember. Knowing that the delay in bringing Yami back fully was entirely his own fault was a different kind of guilt that Kaiba wanted nothing to do with, but that didn't change the facts.

There had to be something that he was missing and it was driving Kaiba crazy as he tried to figure out what was eluding him. Surely there had to be a simple thing that he was overlooking in his rushed quest for knowledge, but figuring that out was as successful as remembering something useful from the priest's past.

The sound of his private elevator doors dinging drew Kaiba's attention and he looked over to the wall with a scowl as he instinctively reached for his weapon. There were very few people with access to that elevator and Kaiba didn't want to take his chances. Kaiba had been expecting to see Mokuba, Isono, Ogata, or an intruder—what he hadn't expected was to see Yuugi standing in the elevator looking smug enough to tell him that it was really Yami. "What the hell?" Kaiba wondered, returning his weapon to its hiding place. "How did you…?"

"There are a few tricks I could manage with this," Yami explained as he gestured at the Millennium Puzzle. "That just happened to be one of them."

"Since when has breaking into elevators been part of an ancient skill set?" Kaiba scoffed, finding the whole idea ludicrous.

Yami merely laughed as he approached Kaiba and stood in front of him. "I wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't shown me that one time," Yami pointed out, grateful that he knew of a back entrance that didn't end as disastrously as the ones at the mansion. "I just assumed there would be fewer questions this way."

It was a valid point, but it didn't change the fact that it was unusual for Yami to disobey his order to say away from the office. "What was so important to tell me?" Kaiba asked, wondering why a phone call wouldn't have sufficed.

Shrugging, Yami stated, "I just wanted to see you."

It was such a simple thing, but it became immensely more complicate due to their current arrangement. "You would have seen me tonight when I picked up Mokuba," Kaiba reminded him, still unsure if he was pleased or annoyed that Yami had come over uninvited.

"Everyone else would be there," Yami countered, knowing how much harder it was for Kaiba to talk when Jounouchi and the rest were around and involved.

"And what do you need to tell me that can't be said in front of anyone else and couldn't be discussed on the phone?" Kaiba pressed, tired of dancing around the topic; he just didn't have the energy for it.

"I figured out a way I might be able to help," Yami started to explain, "but we would need some time."

Frowning at the implication, Kaiba knew that could only mean one thing. "The Millennium Puzzle will be involved."

"Correct," Yami confirmed, making Kaiba scowl. "I'm still not completely confident in the logistics, but I don't think there's any harm in trying it."

Even though it pained Kaiba, he knew that he had to say it, "I have a meeting in the morning that I absolutely cannot cancel. If we do that…"

"You'd miss your meeting," Yami realized, biting down the sigh that wanted to escape. "Tomorrow?"

"I'll…clear my schedule," Kaiba agreed, knowing that there were fewer obligations the next day. He just knew that any dealings with the ancient artifact always sapped him of energy and he needed to be at his best for the morning meeting to discuss his latest deal; he had spent too many months on it to let it slip away now.

"I can use the extra time to figure some things out," Yami said, hoping to alleviate some of the guilt that was showing despite Kaiba's best efforts.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Kaiba still found himself trying to justify, "I just need tomorrow to secure the rest of the funding for the tournament. If I don't—"

"I'm not going to ask you to put me before business, especially when I'm not entirely sure if this will work or not," Yami told Kaiba with a smile that only made Kaiba feel worse. "One more day isn't going to make a difference."

"It does to me," Kaiba muttered, looking away from Yami as he straightened the pages of the report in front of him.

Getting up from the chair and walking back over to Kaiba's side of the desk, Yami put his hand on Kaiba's and squeezed it lightly, earning him a vaguely miffed noise. "We'll do this, Seto," Yami promised, knowing that between their combined stubbornness, they were bound to figure out something that would work. "But your obligations don't stop because of this mess and I understand that."

Kaiba hand tightened into a fist out of his anger and he growled, "But you're my priority, damn it!"

The statement caught Yami off guard and he could only blink at Kaiba as he tried to gather his thoughts that were suddenly moving much too fast. "Seto—"

Looking into amethyst with the strongest of convictions, Kaiba swore, "I don't care what I have to do, I'm going to—"

Interrupting Kaiba with a hug, Yami whispered, "I know, Seto, I know," in the hope that it would somehow convey his meaning.

Rather than pushing Yuugi's body away, Kaiba shamelessly clung to him in a fiercely possessive hug. He pressed them closer together, his fingers digging into Yami as he murmured, "I need you back, Yami. This just isn't enough."

Even though it pained Yami to know he was indirectly responsible for Kaiba's suffering, the sentiment still warmed him at the rare admission of affection. "I'm sorry," was all Yami could say as he gently stroked the nape of Kaiba's neck in one of the few comforts he felt he could still offer while in Yuugi's body.

"I'm not blaming you," Kaiba said with a frown as he pulled back slightly to look up at Yami.

"Yeah, you're too busy blaming yourself," Yami tried to joke, but there was too much truth in the statement.

Just as Kaiba was about to answer, his door opened without warning and Ogata entered with a broad smirk that slid into surprise at the sight before him. "Did something…happen?" Ogata questioned after he shut the door behind him.

"Yeah, you forgot how to knock," Kaiba growled as he released Yami and smoothed his tie down out of habit.

"Kirie-san said there was no one here with you, so why would I bother?" Ogata arrogantly shot back, glancing over at Yuugi with curiosity. "Did you come in while she was on bathroom break or something? Does that woman even take those? You seriously overwork that poor woman."

"If I didn't, you'd try and bed her, too," Kaiba shot back, having lost two secretaries over Ogata's indiscretions—one of whom had been male.

"Come on, I didn't do anything to Nonaka," Ogata defended himself, although it wasn't saying much.

"That's because you met her when she was already pregnant," Kaiba countered, idly wondering whatever had happened to the woman. She had been a decent employee, but not nearly as thorough as Kirie.

Deciding that the banter had gone on long enough, Ogata approached them and asked, "So what brings you here, Yuugi?"

"I just wanted to see if there was any news," Yami answered, mimicking his aibou's mannerisms.

"So it's not because Seto started randomly manipulating the shadows and passing out again?" Ogata asked in a mocking tone that immediately had Kaiba growling.

"Get out," Kaiba ordered, not in the mood to listen to Ogata's nonsense. He kept asking questions that Kaiba had no intentions of answering and part of him was still a bit embarrassed over being caught hugging Yuugi. Ogata's profession was observations and Kaiba disliked being the object of scrutiny under the circumstances.

Narrowing his eyes at Kaiba suspiciously, Ogata pointed out, "It's a perfectly valid question, Seto."

"No, it's absurd and I suggest that you desist immediately," Kaiba countered, a hint of warning entering his tone. "Don't make me turn it into an order."

"As much as I love it when you get all authoritative on my ass, I'll refrain," Ogata complied, but not before adding, "for now."

Yami was unable to hold back a snicker at the banter, earning him an annoyed look from Kaiba and a curious one from Ogata. The older man was used to Yuugi's meek demeanor, so to hear a perverse laugh at their expense from the teen was more than just a little surprising. Under the sharp attentions of both men, Yami found it easier to pretend to shrink back as his aibou so frequently did in his shyness.

Seeing it as an opportunity to distract Ogata's attention away from Yami, Kaiba asked, "So what did you need to tell me?"

"I was just going to give you a status update on our latest…project," Ogata replied, struggling to settle on an appropriate term for their plot against Hoshino since Yuugi was present in the room. "It looks like it will be easier than we originally thought to bring them down."

"I guess I should probably get going," Yami suggested, even though his curiosity was piqued by the possibilities of what was going to be discussed. If it had anything to do with who he thought it did, Yami was going to have to be patient and wait until later to find out when Kaiba came to pick up Mokuba. "I'll see you later tonight?"

"Yes," Kaiba said with a curt nod, effectively dismissing him. Before he had a chance to specify for Yami to go out the office door, he did exactly that after a quick goodbye with Ogata. Even though it pained him to have Yami leave, it wasn't nearly as bad as being left alone with Ogata when he was in an inquisitive state of mind.

Only once the door was shut did Ogata repeat his earlier line of questioning, "So what was that all about?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Kaiba answered, even though he knew that it would be less than satisfactory for Ogata. "So stay the hell out of it. Now tell me what you found out last night."

Although Ogata wanted to press the subject further, he knew that there was very little benefit in doing so. In reality, Yuugi had probably been overwhelmed by the situation when he found out about their failure to apprehend her as originally plan and instinctively sought out the comfort he was used to finding in his other friends. It wasn't entirely beyond the realm of possibility, especially since Yuugi would be used to seeing the slightly softer side of Kaiba because of Yami. Rather than pursuing it further, Ogata stated, "She's such a whore, it's pathetic," Ogata scoffed, finding Hoshino's desperation disgusting. "It was disappointing how little effort it took to get her to throw herself at me."

"Try telling me something I don't know," Kaiba sneered, having seen firsthand how her desperation manifested in slutty overtones.

"She's being careful, but I think I can get over to her place soon," Ogata said, hoping that would grant him the chance to find Yami. "I don't want to risk rushing things but I think this is going to move a lot faster than we originally planned for. She's seriously hurting for cash and so she isn't taking the precautions she normally would. I gave her enough information that Tanaka should go looking for me, which I've already set traps for."

"Good," Kaiba said with a nod, pleased with the advancing progress. "That should make things easier."

"Kinda what I was thinking," Ogata agreed, looking forward to making the heinous woman pay dearly for her crimes against Kaiba, Mokuba, and Yami.

Nodding resolutely to himself once more, Kaiba asked, "Anything else?"

"Why?" Ogata wondered, trying to figure out if the CEO was trying to get rid of him or not.

"I have a few calls to make," Kaiba replied, knowing that an answer was the quickest way to get rid of Ogata.

Recognizing that as his cue to leave, Ogata stood up and said, "I'll talk to you later, then. Try to stay out of trouble."

"I'd say the same to you, but that would mean you'd be out of a job," Kaiba smarted off, causing Ogata to laugh heartily as he left with a wave over his shoulder.

Trying to exhale the tension out of his body, Kaiba stared blankly at his schedule and tried to see what needed to be done before he could get out of the office for the night before he went to pick up Mokuba from Yuugi's.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter; some last minute logistics got in the way and then I got sick, which was inconvenient since I'm still trying to be a gracious host to Eli, who has traveled oh so far to stay with me. For those of you who missed it, I **posted a new story preview** on my LJ to try and make up for the delay, so please feel free to drop by and check it out for a sneak peek at what's coming up after L&F.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Not thinking about that," Kaiba said, half-heartedly scowling when Yami chuckled again. "Or why you know about such things."_

The next chapter is light-hearted, long, and one of my favorites, so I hope you enjoy it when I post it on **Sunday, June 12th**.


	26. Chapter 26: Bonds

**A/N:** Surprise **lime** in this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 26: Bonds**

"Hey, we were starting to wonder where you were," Yuugi greeted Kaiba as he welcomed him inside, smiling brightly at his friend.

"My meeting ran longer than expected," Kaiba said by way of explanation rather than apology.

"It's for the best," Yuugi told Kaiba, "since you just missed Jounouchi-kun by a few minutes."

Rather than making a sarcastic comment about the mutt, Kaiba merely nodded in acknowledgement as he followed Yuugi into the living room. He was surprised to see Anzu challenging Mokuba in a lively match of a fighting video game and from the looks of it, she was beating him soundly.

"Seriously, how can you be so good at this game?" Mokuba asked Anzu once she defeated him for the fifth time in a row.

"Do you have any idea how much time I've spent in arcades over the years?" Anzu retorted with a lighthearted laugh.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Yuugi teased as he sat down beside her on the couch once more.

"Either way, it's still your fault," Anzu countered, nudging Yuugi playfully in the arm. "Besides, I never get tired of watching egotistical guys get flustered after being beaten by a girl. So, Kaiba—care to duel?"

Amused by the rare show of the girl's cockiness, Kaiba couldn't help but crack a faint smile as he arrogantly challenged, "Why would you want to ruin your winning streak?"

Rather than taking offense to his implication, Anzu merely laughed again as she joked, "I see how it is. Your fragile ego just can't take the damage of losing to me."

"I'll enjoy defeating you," Kaiba shot back, but there was no trace of malice in his tone that would have been present if he had been speaking to someone like Jounouchi.

"Not more than I'll enjoying kicking your ass all over this screen," Anzu shot back with a wicked smirk that almost made Kaiba want to see what she was capable of doing during a card duel.

"Hn, I'd like to see you try," Kaiba snorted as he gestured for Mokuba to hand over his controller.

Mokuba did so with no small amount of wonder and he shared a look with Yuugi of surprise. Neither had expected Kaiba to take her challenge up at all, let alone so seriously. But Kaiba was studying the menu as they selected their characters and customizations for the match. It had been some time since he had last played, but he was confident in his ability to remember the combos of his favorite character in the game—the one based on a dragon, naturally.

When the game announced, "Fight," Anzu started off immediately on the offensive and Kaiba was content to watch her techniques. She was prone to relying on short combos in lightning fast succession, hacking away at his life points in a brutally efficient manner. It made it difficult to get in hits of his own, so Kaiba mostly remained on the defensive as he occasionally tried out the combos he could remember from memory. He allowed her the first victory to build her confidence, not minding her delighted giggles of glee that otherwise would have grated on his nerves.

Her early rejoicing made it all the better when round two started and he defeated her in a single combo hit before she could even get in one punch. She stared at him in shock and demanded, "How in the hell did you do that?"

"You're not the only one that's played this game before," Kaiba reminded her with a chuckle, amused at her outrage.

"I didn't even know this game _had_ one hit kills," Anzu commented, impressed and frustrated all at once by the show of skill.

When Kaiba did it again with a different combo move that ended in the same result, Anzu indignantly exclaimed, "Oh, come on!"

"What was that about crushing my male ego with your female skills?" Kaiba taunted, laughing when she fumed at him.

Chucking one of the couch pillows at Kaiba for his arrogance, she dissolved into giggles at his momentary look of shock at the action. "I guess I should just be grateful I won one round. I'm sure that's next to impossible, unless—oh, you did _not_ just let me win one because I'm a girl!" Anzu realized halfway through, glaring at Kaiba for the perceived insult to her abilities.

"As if I would do such a thing," Kaiba scoffed, immediately appeasing her with some amount of disbelief. "You used a good string of successive combos and I was using it to learn your playing style."

"…did you just compliment me?" Anzu asked with an arched eyebrow. "I never thought I'd live to see the day. We should totally commemorate this momentous occasion."

"What are you going to do? Write it in your diary?" Kaiba retorted, causing Yuugi to burst into laughter.

Shaking her head and setting her controller aside, Anzu replied, "No, you'll have to record your own exploits for posterity."

Smirking once more, Kaiba settled himself more comfortably into the couch as Mokuba filled him in on how Anzu has wiped the floor with Jounouchi and his ego in the game. It would have been worth listening to the mutt's yipping to see such a spectacularly sound defeat, but Kaiba was still grateful that he had been spared the theatrics of Jounouchi's loss.

Kaiba remained silent as the next hour passed, silently observing their interactions with only the occasional glance spared in Yuugi's direction to see if Yami was present. It left him with time to wonder how Yami always managed to seem aware of what happened even when he was trapped inside the Millennium Puzzle. He was sure that Yami would answer the question for him, but Kaiba couldn't help but think maybe he was better off not knowing. Besides, if all went according to plan, the answer would be irrelevant soon enough.

"I guess I should start heading homeward," Anzu finally announced with a sad sigh. "I'll see you guys tomorrow in school?"

"Yep!" Yuugi said brightly and echoed by Mokuba, but Kaiba merely nodded in confirmation.

"Have a good night," she wished them before walking toward the front door to get her things.

Yuugi followed her to say good bye and Kaiba found himself increasingly distracted by it, wondering if they were kissing each other good night. Even though Kaiba knew they had promised not to and were people of their word, he couldn't help but think such things. The fast return eased Kaiba's unfounded suspicions, as did the fact that it was clearly Yami who sat down next to him with an apology, "Sorry that took so long."

"It's fine," Kaiba said with a shrug, trying not to sound petulant about it. "Are you free to…talk for a little bit?"

Finding Kaiba's reluctance a little strange, Yami agreed, "Yes, do you want to meet me upstairs?"

Assuming that meant Yuugi had a few things that still needed to be taken care of, Kaiba consented, "Sure," and watched Yami walk over to the stairs and turn off the TV on the way.

Once Yami was upstairs, Kaiba asked Mokuba, "Do you want to stay here tonight or go back home?"

"Are you spending the night here again?" Mokuba wanted to know, somewhat surprised by the regularity in which Kaiba was starting to stay at the Mutou house. He knew that it was hard for Kaiba to be away from Yami, but it was still unusual for his older brother to voluntarily stay there so much—especially since he never spent the night there that much whenever the former pharaoh was around before.

"Yes, we have some business to take care of," Kaiba explained, although he didn't get into the details. "It's up to you where you want to spend the night."

As much as Mokuba wanted to stay by his big brother's side, he was getting a little sore for so many nights on the Mutou's old couch. "I think I'll go home, if that's okay. I have a report that's due soon that I want to get started on," Mokuba finally decided, knowing that whatever business his brother had with Yami had nothing to do with him. "Want me to call Isono?"

"That would be fine," Kaiba agreed, knowing that his brother was responsible enough to get himself to school and back again. "What's your report on?"

Mokuba explained the details while waiting for Isono to arrive, filling his older brother's silence with stories of how his day had been. It was reassuring to Kaiba to hear his brother back to his normal chatty self and Kaiba interjected where needed as they conversed.

Isono finally arrived and Kaiba walked Mokuba to the door. "I may…I will probably be asleep when you get home tomorrow," Kaiba informed his brother, not wanting him to worry.

Although it concerned Mokuba how frequently his older brother as starting to sleep during the day, he was just relieved that Kaiba was finally getting some rest. "Okay," Mokuba said before enveloping Kaiba in a tight hug. "Night, nii-sama."

Returning the hug and ruffling Mokuba's hair, "Good night, Mokuba," he replied, finally releasing his brother and watching him go outside to Isono. Speaking to his employee, Kaiba informed him, "I will need you to pick me up from here tomorrow, most likely in the afternoon. Until then, see to Mokuba."

Bowing in acknowledgement, Isono dutifully replied, "Yes, Seto-sama," and left no doubts in Kaiba's mind that his orders would be carried out to the fullest.

"Thank you," Kaiba told the man, waiting until they left with a final, "Have a good night," before shutting the door behind him and locking it.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Kaiba finally made his way upstairs, shutting of the last of the lights as he did so. Stopping in the bathroom first, Kaiba made his way down the familiar hallway to Yami's bedroom and entered. He was momentarily tripped up by the sight of the Millennium Puzzle waiting for him on the bed, but Kaiba recovered quickly and shut the door behind him. It would never stop being weird for him, but Kaiba tried not to think about it.

Removing his suit jacket and walking over to hang it in the closet, Kaiba started to take off his dress shirt when he shivered at a feeling crawling over his skin. He instinctively glanced back at the Millennium Puzzle, which was the most likely object to offend, and let out a startled sound when he saw a spectral form of Yami sitting on the bed. "What the hell!" Kaiba exclaimed, fingers stopping their unbuttoning in his shock.

"_So you _can_ see me,"_ Yami said with a pleased smile, his mouth moving, but the sound was in the depths of Kaiba's mind.

Shaking his head from the strange sensation, Kaiba stared in disbelief at Yami and tried to understand what was happening. "You're…?" Kaiba tried to say, but found himself unable to articulate his thoughts as he continued staring at something that shouldn't have existed. It would have made sense if it was a Solid Vision replica, but his technology created a more substantial image than the semi-transparent Yami he was currently staring at in barely masked shocked.

A knock on the door drew Kaiba's attention, but he didn't dare take his eyes off of Yami's form for fear that he would disappear. "Yes?" Kaiba tersely called out, realizing that his loud exclamation had inevitably drawn someone else's notice.

"Is everything okay?" Yuugi asked as he entered, following Kaiba's gaze to where Yami was casually sitting on the bed in his shadow form. "Oh, you can see him, too?"

"Can I see him too," Kaiba mockingly repeated, a sense of anger flaring up within him despite being relieved to see Yami in any form. "How long have you known about this?"

Sharing a look with Yami in the hopes of getting a hint of an answer, Yuugi only received a shrug, which was less than useful. "I was the only one who could ever see him like this," Yuugi explained, "so I don't really know what…uhm…"

Sensing Yuugi's struggle, Yami did his best to fill in the blanks, _"Aibou was the only one with a connection to the Millennium Puzzle, which is why he alone could see me. Until now."_

"So I can see you because we've…?"

Even though Kaiba didn't finish his thought, Yami nodded in confirmation. He was about to speak again when Yuugi stated, "Since everything's okay, I guess I'll head to bed unless you need anything else?"

"We're good, thanks," Kaiba said, sparing a quick glance to Yuugi before returning his gaze to Yami.

Surprised at the word of gratitude, Yuugi stuttered, "You're—you're welcome. Night," before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Left alone once more, Yami finally stood up from the bed and approached Kaiba. It was strange seeing Yami walking as if he had a real form that was bound by the rules of gravity and existence when he was just a glimmering shadow of light. Out of all the questions Yami had expected Kaiba to ask, he hadn't predicted it would be, "So why are you wearing our school uniform?"

Yami's laughter echoed in the depths of Kaiba's mind and sent a shiver through the taller teen at the sensation. _"Force of habit, I guess,"_ Yami suggested before his coat dissolved into nothingness to reveal his favored beater and his pants darkened to black. _"I always just ended up wearing whatever aibou had on."_

Rather than pursing the illogical line of questioning, Kaiba instead asked, "Does this have anything to do with what you mentioned to me at the office?"

"_No, that will have to wait until tomorrow,"_ Yami answered, trying not to feel the disappointment.

"So I cleared my schedule for tomorrow for nothing?" Kaiba asked with a raised eyebrow.

Yami tried to process Kaiba's words, but he was still confused by them. _"But what about your meeting?"_ Yami wanted to know.

"I said I couldn't cancel it—I never said that I couldn't reschedule it," Kaiba replied. "He was already in town, so we arranged for a dinner meeting tonight instead. That's why I was late coming over tonight."

It was hard for Yami to contain the bubble of warmth that surfaced inside of him at Kaiba's actions. _"You did that for me?"_ Yami softly questioned, unable to hide the adoration in his eyes. He knew that it wasn't a decision that Kaiba had made lightly and it just further showed how much of a priority the CEO was making him.

"I just didn't want to say anything until I knew I could move our appointment time," Kaiba said with a shrug because it was easier to admit to than, _I did it for us_. "Anyway, so what does this mean?"

"_Mean?"_ Yami repeated, tilting his head as he regarded Kaiba and tried to understand the abrupt shift in topics. _"I don't understand."_

Unbuttoning the rest of his shirt and taking it off, Kaiba hung up his shirt next to his coat as he clarified, "Is this progress?"

It took a moment for Yami to understand what Kaiba was trying to say and he wondered how to answer. _"You mean toward me maintaining an actual body?" _Yami finally asked, wanting to make sure that he understood Kaiba's train of thought.

"Yes," Kaiba confirmed, feeling foolish for even daring to say such a thing out loud, let alone hope that it was true.

Once Yuugi had accepted him for who he was, Yami had been able to maintain his spiritual form with his aibou. Even when they were around their friends, no one had ever been able to see him until now, which Yami suspected was because Kaiba had connected to the Millennium Puzzle in two lifetimes and accepted him much as Yuugi had, however reluctantly the process had been. To say, "Yes," would be a lie, but Yami could see in that faint glimmer of desperation that Kaiba was trying to hide how much he needed it to be true. Deciding what Kaiba needed was more important than the actual truth, Yami settled for saying, _"I think so."_

It gave Kaiba a renewed sense of hope that he rarely allowed himself to feel and he started to take off his undershirt. Yami's gasp echoed deeply inside of him and it made Kaiba pause in his action to ask, "What?"

"_What do you mean, 'What?' What the hell happened to you?" _ Yami angrily demanded, his protective streak flaring strongly at the first glimpse of bruising on Kaiba's skin.

"Just blowing off some steam," Kaiba dismissively responded with a shrug, although it did little to appease Yami's concerns.

"_Doing what?"_ Yami asked, shocked at Kaiba's nonchalance over it.

"Sparring."

Taking a moment for that to process, Yami finally clarified, _"With Ogata?"_

"You should see what I did to him," Kaiba retorted with a vicious smirk, causing Yami to shake his head at the strange relationship between the two men.

"_That's not exactly something to be proud of…"_

Feeling no need to further justify him, Kaiba took off his undershirt while asking, "So you've discovered something?"

"_Like I said, I might have found a way to help,"_ Yami stated, figuring that sticking to vague ambiguities was easier than the concrete facts that were sorely lacking in their situation. Besides, Kaiba would probably mistake it for distraction from the slow striptease that he was thoroughly enjoying despite the troubling marks on his torso.

"I'm undressing, not stripping," Kaiba irritably corrected Yami, shocking the spirit.

Yami was intrigued by how Kaiba had managed to hear what he hadn't intended to broadcast and he couldn't help but smirk at the faint flush of color that graced the teen's cheeks. _"I want to see something,"_ Yami told him, gesturing for Kaiba to follow him over to the bed.

Complying with a fair amount of grumbling, Kaiba removed his pants and hung them as well before walking over to the bed. He felt oddly self-conscious about lying down as he was with Yami watching him in that form and Kaiba stared at him with a guarded expression. It bothered him when Yami straddled over him and he couldn't physically feel anything other than a slight shift in the air that Kaiba wasn't entirely sure that he hadn't imagined. "And?" Kaiba prompted, refusing to admit that he felt a flutter of apprehension at the strangeness of the situation they were in currently.

Smirking beautifully down at Kaiba, Yami waved his hand and the brunette was shocked when he realized that his briefs had vanished, leaving him completely naked. "Did you just…?"

"_Banish your underwear to the Shadow Realm?"_ Yami finished with an amused chuckle as he used his powers to secure his door. _"Maybe."_

"_That's_ what you wanted to see?" Kaiba indignantly demanded, causing Yami to laugh harder.

"_I always want to see you naked,"_ Yami purred, relishing the rare opportunity to successfully embarrass Kaiba. _"That wasn't what I originally meant, though."_

"Oh, so you just thought banishing my briefs to the Shadow Realm would be fun," Kaiba bitterly retorted.

Still snickering, Yami defended himself, _"It entertained me."_

"Because _that's_ what's important," Kaiba muttered.

"_I can bring them back later if you want," _Yami offered, his amused expression reflecting nothing of his recalcitrant tone.

"That's not the point," Kaiba insisted, still riled up from the show of power.

Deciding to make things fair for Kaiba's sake, Yami rid himself of his own clothes, leaving them both naked. _"Is that better?"_ Yami asked with a little hum of amusement when he saw a spark of interest in Kaiba's eyes.

_It would be better if I could touch you_, Kaiba thought to himself with a frown, not daring to reach out to Yami for fear of seeing his hands pass through the illusion. It was a disturbing thought and Kaiba tried not to think too deeply on it. Instead, he merely shrugged as he warily watched Yami for his next move.

Realizing that Kaiba wasn't going to say anything, Yami decided to continue with his plan. Reaching out with powers, Yami tried to coax Kaiba to do the same and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly he responded. Normally it was harder to encourage Kaiba to join with the Millennium Puzzle, but the quick connection made Yami realize, _"You're getting used to this."_

"Not because I want to," Kaiba muttered, feeling the warmth of power filling him.

"_It's not that bad,"_ Yami insisted as he focused on joining them closer together.

"The circumstances are," Kaiba shot back with a glare.

"_We can argue about that later,"_ Yami assured him before he leaned forward to directly connect them.

"There's nothing to argue about," Kaiba told him before all thoughts were chased out of his mind when Yami made contact.

Despite being a mere image of his former self, Kaiba could feel Yami's very soul as the Millennium Puzzle bound them together once more, the golden power pulsating between them. It was almost too good to finally feel Yami in such a way during waking hours and Kaiba found himself instinctually pushing even closer to the connection. "Yes," Kaiba softly moaned as he felt Yami's spirit surrounding him in a sensation that was as tangible as a real body.

"_Mm,"_ Yami agreed as he finally leaned back to indulge in the feeling, grateful that they weren't disconnected by his action. He decided that an experiment was in order and he lightly trailed his fingers along Kaiba's torso to see what sort of effect it produced.

Kaiba gasped and arched into the sensation, even though he logically knew that there was nothing to feel. Even if it was just memories of touch enhanced by the power of the Millennium Puzzle, it still felt incredible after so long without any contact. He felt like Yami was everywhere at once, stroking him, embracing him, making him feel incredible with even the most minimal of touches. He was shamelessly reacting to the stimulation, already aroused and aching for more.

"_You're so beautiful like this,"_ Yami told Kaiba, never ceasing his phantom caresses.

"I could do without the commentary," Kaiba reprimanded, wondering why Yami always insisted on saying such embarrassing things. Any further responses were interrupted when Yami started to touch his cock, causing Kaiba to inhale sharply as his entire body reacted.

Chuckling rather than taking offense, Yami continued stroking Kaiba and watching him come absolutely undone at the touch. The feeling of Kaiba's pleasure pulsating through the bond granted to them by the ancient artifact was downright intoxicating to Yami as they continued. He could feel all of Kaiba's soul, intertwining with his own, blending together until Yami thought he would lose track of where he stopped and where the other began.

A discontented growl drew Yami's attention back to the matters at hand and he realized that Kaiba was silently asking for more than his pride would ever be okay demanding. Taking advantage of his lack of a physical body, Yami slipped his fingers inside of Kaiba and curled them deep. It made Kaiba buck hard into the sensation with a stifled noise and it pained Yami that he couldn't take advantage of it in his current state. Instead of dwelling on it, Yami continued working Kaiba's body expertly, listening to its silent cues through the bond and making the brunette writhe underneath him.

Kaiba was reacting blindly, his body moving without thought as he panted from the exertion of Yami's manipulations. He was too far gone to question it and Kaiba instinctually reached out on a spiritual level he never realized he could access as he tried to draw Yami deeper into himself. He was unaware of the whispers that escaped his lips, pleading for Yami as he neared his peak, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hold out; it had been too long.

Although Yami wanted to prolong the experience as much as possible, he also wasn't cruel enough to deny his lover the satisfaction of completion. He was rewarded by Kaiba arching beautifully beneath him, cumming hard as he finally reached his end. Yami could feel the pleasure of being satiated thrumming through Kaiba and it made him long to kiss him, even though that was currently impossible; it was easier to mimic touch than the alternatives.

"I wouldn't hate that thing so much if that was its main power," Kaiba finally said, feeling more relaxed than he had since Yami had been kidnapped.

"_You know that aibou doesn't mind us borrowing it,"_ Yami reminded Kaiba, aching to try it again when he finally got his body back.

"Weirdest sex toy ever," Kaiba muttered with a quiet snort as he subtly stretched.

The comment made Yami laugh and he pointed out, _"There are far weirder things than that out there."_

"Not thinking about that," Kaiba said, half-heartedly scowling when Yami chuckled again. "Or why you know about such things."

"_Well—"_

"Don't want to hear it," Kaiba interrupted, not wanting to be disturbed from his current state of satiated calmness.

Recognizing Kaiba's point, Yami let the topic go, although his amusement still echoed faintly through them—amplifying the moment he felt the brunette's discomfort over the cooling seed on his skin. "It's not funny," Kaiba muttered as he looked around for something to clean off with and saw nothing. The thought of moving was displeasing, but not nearly as much as the thought of having to walk down the hall to the bathroom naked in such a state and hope he wasn't caught on the way.

Taking pity on his boyfriend, Yami got rid of the cum the same way he did Kaiba's underwear. Kaiba realized what he did almost instantly and questioned, "Isn't there some rule about using the Shadow Realm as your own personal trash can or something?"

Yami laughed hard at the thought and he didn't quiet down at Kaiba's disapproving look. _"No,"_ Yami denied, still snickering at the concept.

"Then why can't you send this mess there normally?" Kaiba muttered, knowing that Yami was well aware of his cleanliness quirks.

"_Because then I wouldn't get to see you in the shower,"_ Yami teased, amused by the glare the comment earned him. _"Besides, you'd fuss at me for doing such unnecessary things."_

Quietly harrumphing to himself and knowing that Yami's latter point was completely true, Kaiba said nothing further on the subject. "So this was your grand plan for the evening?"

"_No, that happens after you finally fall asleep," _Yami explained, although he didn't elaborate any further. _"This was just for fun and to see if it was possible."_

Rolling his eyes at Yami, Kaiba said nothing as he tried to find the will to crawl under the covers so that Yuugi or their grandfather wouldn't walk in on him naked. "Good to know," Kaiba mumbled as he forced his body to move enough to pull the covers out from under him to get comfortable. Sleep was already calling to him from overexertion and he didn't have any reason to resist it. "I hate how it always leave us so exhausted…"

Yami made a noise of agreement before he released his hold on the door and cut the lights so that Kaiba could sleep in peace. He was usually the first one to go to sleep, so it was a rare experience to watch Kaiba fall asleep. Only after he felt Kaiba lulled into the stillness of slumber did Yami dare reach out and stroke the outline of his cheek. Even though Yami had no physical form, he was fascinated that Kaiba tilted his head into the contact as if he were actually experiencing the touch. _Soon_, Yami silently promised him. Until then, Yami had to settle for a lingering phantom kiss on Kaiba's lips.

Sitting back and taking a deep breath, Yami once again called forth the power inside of Kaiba, making him sigh softly in his sleep. He experienced a brief moment of hesitation about his decision, but Kaiba had made an effort for this—for him—and Yami wasn't going to back out now. Bolstering his resolve, only then did Yami lean forward and rest his forehead against Kaiba's, reveling in the sensation of their bond mingling together at the point of contact before allowing himself to disappear back into the Millennium Puzzle and taking Kaiba's soul with him.

* * *

**A/N:** It's been quite some time since we had a fun chapter, so I hope that you enjoyed it! The next "arc" is coming up next and there is plotting aplenty, to put it mildly…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_There was a ripple of rage that coiled through Kaiba as he asked in a tight voice, "We're _what_?"_

Expect a very lengthy and important chapter to go up on **Sunday, June 19th**. Until then, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one!


	27. Chapter 27: Descending Into Darkness

**Chapter 27: Descending Into Darkness**

The disorientation upon arrival was immediate for Kaiba. Everything was shadows in a soundless world, but he forced himself to relax and try to be objective about the situation. In hindsight he realized that it was foolish of him not to ask Yami what his plan was, but it was too late for that now. He was annoyed with himself for being so easily distracted by what Yami had done to him in the bedroom, but not as much as he was frustrated by what they were being reduced to. Then again, it had been a fascinating experience, one that he wouldn't mind repeating under a different set of circumstances.

However, none of those thoughts were conducive to understanding his current situation. Clearing his mind of such things, Kaiba focused on the immediate problem of figuring out where exactly he was and where Yami had gone.

"I'm here," Yami said, appearing as if summoned by Kaiba's thoughts and bringing the stone walls and flickering candles to life.

"And where exactly would 'here' be?" Kaiba questioned, crossing his arms defensively and shocked to realize that he was dressed in one of his favorite white trench coats and his normal black attire.

"I don't want you to get upset," Yami started to say, which served as warning enough for Kaiba.

"Then I'd suggest telling me instead of making me guess," Kaiba said, unsure of why he suddenly felt so uneasy.

Hoping that he hadn't made a severe miscalculation, Yami explained, "We're not actually here. This is just a temporary place for us until you decided if you wanted to do this or not."

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Kaiba tried to understand what Yami was saying. "Meaning?" Kaiba finally demanded, unable to figure out Yami's riddled implications.

"You asked me to bring you where I am," Yami reminded Kaiba, "but I was…concerned that you might react badly to it."

"So you're going to show me what it's like inside of the Millennium Puzzle?"

"No, we're inside of it," Yami corrected him, bracing for the fallout.

There was a ripple of rage that coiled through Kaiba as he asked in a tight voice, "We're _what_?"

"We're actually inside of the Millennium Puzzle," Yami repeated, evenly meeting Kaiba's harsh gaze. "I figured since you were connected to it so closely, it would work."

"You brought my _soul_ into the Millennium Puzzle?" Kaiba hissed, wondering what the consequences of such an action would be. "What about my body?"

"It's still asleep," Yami guessed, assuming that the process would be the same as when Yuugi and he were both in the Puzzle while his aibou slept. "You'll have no problems returning to yourself."

"Did you even _think_ of the consequences?" Kaiba harshly demanded, his mind racing with more questions that he was capable of voicing at the moment.

Shrugging with a mild look of remorse, Yami said, "I was more concerned that you would get upset at yourself when you see inside."

"That's stupid," Kaiba instantly dismissed, although he couldn't ignore that there was a minute truth in the fear.

"You say that now," Yami warned, knowing that the odds of Kaiba reacting poorly to the interior anarchy of the ancient artifact were fairly high, "but it can be a little overwhelming—especially if you intend to use it as ammo to blame yourself further."

"Show me," Kaiba commanded, figuring that he might as well see since he was already supposedly trapped inside of the Millennium Puzzle.

Given the choice between keeping Kaiba with him a moment longer and losing him to the descending darkness, Yami conceded with an apology, rebuilding their world as the stones became bricks, the wax of candles becoming the ancient mortar as the reality of what he tried so hard to escape was recreated from the memories of staring at them for over three thousand years.

The infinity of inverted stairs was enough to silence Kaiba as he looked up in astonishment at where he was. There were stairs and doors as far as the eye could see and even then Kaiba knew that they continued far past what he was capable of perceiving. "All of _this_," Kaiba asked as he gestured with his hand at the surrounding area, "is inside of that thing Yuugi wears?"

Looking up with a heavy sigh, Yami replied, "Yes, and even after three thousand years of searching, I still doubt that I've been to every room."

Kaiba's mind was struggling with the idea of it all and he found himself isolating a single staircase and following it with his eyes to the point where the inverted staircase righted itself once more, only to reverse again at a door high above them. "How the hell do you even walk on them?"

"It would only be a problem if gravity existed here," Yami pointed out, finding it amusing that Kaiba was trying so hard to find something logical amongst the illogical. "This is the main hall, but the doors lead to dead ends, memories, and passageways. Usually."

"Usually," Kaiba flatly repeated, a feeling of dread and anticipation curling deep within him. He felt an instinctual uneasiness that bothered him—especially since he suspected it was a vestigial response from the priest.

"All rooms eventually lead back here," Yami continued to explain, "but don't be surprised if you enter a room on one floor and exit on another."

"That doesn't even make sense," Kaiba muttered, earning him a sympathetic look from Yami.

Knowing that whatever Kaiba needed to find would be for his eyes alone, Yami volunteered, "I'll wait down here for you."

"So I just…walk?" Kaiba asked, feeling foolish despite knowing that he had no other alternatives left to him. He needed Yami back the way he was and if opening a few doors in a labyrinth helped, he'd open as many damn doors as it would take.

Nodding, Yami gestured vaguely at their surrounding area and said, "Just go until you feel a reason to stop. Go inside and you'll know when to leave. This is a realm ruled by intuition."

Deciding that standing around and talking about it was wasteful, Kaiba started up the closest set of stairs and glanced down at Yami as he ascended. Stopping in front of the first door and opening it, Kaiba was greeted by the sight of a brick wall that denied him entrance into the room. Biting back a growl, Kaiba called down to Yami, "Care to explain this?"

Walking back so that he could look up to where Kaiba was, Yami saw the impeding wall and said, "You have to think about what you want to see and that usually helps guide the visions. Either that, or you aren't meant to see what's in that room."

Grumbling to himself about the lack of specific instructions from earlier, Kaiba asked, "And what was in this room?"

"A conversation I had with Mahado," Yami answered after thinking back on it. "It has no relevance to you, so I suppose it blocked you off to aid your efforts."

"Or make this even more of a pain than it already is," Kaiba quietly groused, fairly certain that the echo of his annoyance wouldn't carry to Yami.

Strengthening his resolve, Kaiba squared his shoulders as he shut the door and continued walking. He wasn't accustomed to aimless wandering, but he allowed himself to walk without purpose as he tried to think of a good test to see what the Puzzle would reveal to him. As much as he wanted immediate answers, Kaiba wanted to first make sure that Yami's theory of revelations worked.

Coming to a stop at a door, Kaiba looked over the edge and had a rare moment of vertigo when he realized that he was actually upside down and could see Yami above him when he tilted his head. Returning his gaze to the door before he nauseated himself, Kaiba stared at the Eye of Ra on the door and thought, _I want to see the pharaoh with Seto_. Only then did he open the door and step into the pitch black room, shutting the door behind him. Before he could orient himself, he felt the world drop out from under him as the past began to play.

"_You can't be Pharaoh when your priest is smarter than you," Seto teased the teenaged prince as they studied scrolls together at a desk._

"_Can too!" he shot back, thoroughly riled up and incensed._

"_Fine, not a very _good_ Pharaoh," Seto corrected himself with a smirk, clearly enjoying watching the eventual pharaoh work himself up into such a state. It was too easy to be a challenge, but Seto still enjoyed doing it anyway._

_Crossing his arms defensively and straightening his posture to a more regal bearing, he declared, "I will be the best pharaoh Egypt has ever had!"_

"_Only because you'll have me as your Head Priest," Seto pointed out with a chuckle._

_Rather than upsetting him, the eventual pharaoh smiled brightly with a confident nod as he agreed, "That's right."_

_Sobering up, Seto said, "You should be capable of doing it by yourself." He knew first hand that he had no one but himself in the world to rely on; he survived on his strength alone._

"_A pharaoh is nothing without the people of his land," the young ruler to be mused, having been counseled from a young age that if a pharaoh acted in a just and fair manner to the people, they would be loyal and respectful to their ruler in return. "And I would be nothing without you at my side, Seto."_

_The confident declaration was said with such conviction that Seto didn't know how to react; he had been an unwanted creature for so much of his life, it was hard to understand that someone like the eventual ruler of their lands would believe such a worth in him. "Don't let anyone ever hear you say such foolish words," Seto warned, knowing how easily a jealous court would misinterpret them._

_Suddenly the prince was before him with an intense look in his crimson eyes, looking far older than his fourteen suns. "As long as you hear them, I care not about how foolish they may be," the prince murmured, reaching out and placing his hand on Seto's chest. "As long as my words reach your heart, they shall forever be true, for surely there is not a lifetime that I would ever want to be without you."_

"_Do not be so quick to tie our fates together," Seto stated as he tried to move the royal hand off of him before his body betrayed how fast those words made his heart beat._

"_You do not wish to be bound to me in such a way?" the prince asked in a pained voice, his expression crestfallen. _

"_I do not wish you to make a promise of folly in your youth that will come to regret," Seto softly replied, knowing that it would be a mistake for his prince to do such a thing—even if he knew that there was no one out there who would take better care of the ruler or love him more than the priest did._

"_The only thing I regret is how long it is taking me to convince you of your worth to me," the pharaoh to be confessed. _

"_I am worth nothing but the air I breathe," Seto said, having been told by others he was worth even less than that. _

_The words upset the eventual pharaoh and he moved to straddled himself over the priest's lap, taking his face in both of his hands. Before Seto could ask what was happening, the prince captured his lips in their first kiss that stunned the priest into silence. The priest was too shocked to deny himself or his ruler what he wanted and Seto granted him permission to explore his mouth, instinctually reacting as he let his tongue slide against the invading warmth he had barely dared to dream about in the darkest of nights. _

_The prince inhaled deeply before parting just enough to look Seto in his eyes. "If that is so, then I will drink in the air that you breathe so that it may become a part of me," the prince stated as he caressed the priest's cheek softly. "I will take all of you into myself so that we may never truly be apart. I will be satisfied with nothing less than all of you, Seto. Know this. Eternity will never be enough for me with you at my side."_

_Seto knew that he could deny it, but the words affected him too deeply as he was granted what he had secretly always longed for and had ever since he had realized what a beautiful challenge the pharaoh to be was. "I would taint you," Seto whispered, knowing that someone such as himself had no right to touch or covet the pharaoh as such. "I am but a man who—" _

_Interrupting Seto's protests, the prince swore, "Then I will make you a deity, a god that only this pharaoh may have the privilege of worshipping. Whatever it takes to make you understand that there is no one and nothing else that I want in this world and the next more than you."_

"_How can you say such beautiful things?" Seto wanted to know as the last of his resistance surrendered under the sway of the future pharaoh's words._

"_Because in you they find truth," he replied with a glorious smile before capturing Seto's lips once more in a passionate kiss that was met with no resistance._

_It was more than Seto could take and even though every ounce of his religious convictions and training were railing at him for the sin he was about to commit, the priest raised both of his arms and embraced the prince closer still as he indulged his ruler's whim that he could only pray would be granted by the gods they served._

The disconnect was abrupt and Kaiba came back to awareness of himself as he stared at the now empty room that was like the one Yami had first brought him into upon arrival in the Millennium Puzzle. His heart was pounding much as the priest's had been and a weird echo of ancient emotions reverberated through Kaiba's very core. It made him wonder if Yami had ever seen that memory and Kaiba wondered if it would affect him more deeply than himself. There were too many conflicting reactions to settle on just one and Kaiba took some time to try and compose himself after witnessing such an event.

Finally deciding that he could face Yami after seeing the ancient duo's first kiss, Kaiba exited the room and was confused to find himself on a horizontal staircase that left the world above and below him. Out of curiosity, Kaiba opened the door he had just exited out of, only to discover another brick wall to prevent him from reentry.

Shrugging and shutting the door, wincing at the echo of sound through the cavernous hall, Kaiba walked sideways on the wall as he tried to think of something that would be more useful to his purposes. Deciding to test the limits of ambiguities on requests, Kaiba stopped in front of another random door and ordered, _Show me something I need to know, _before stepping inside and closing the door.

This time Kaiba felt as if his body was being pulled violently backward and he felt himself gasp as he was slammed hard against something. He struggled against the sensation of melting into wet concrete, but he was enveloped by a different darkness as the room reconstructed itself into images of the past.

_It took Kaiba a moment to understand where he was as he stared at the previous incarnation of Priestess Isis without his own body. Only when he heard Seto argue in an angry voice, "We do not have all seven of the Millennium Items, you know this," did Kaiba understand that he was inside of the priest's body and seeing the immediate memory from his eyes. _

_Bowing her head respectfully and enduring the curling_ _shadows of Seto's rage, she informed him, "We need only the relevant Items for the ceremony, Seto-sama."_

_Kaiba suddenly felt bitter thoughts that were not his own flit through his mind as Seto raged against her refusal to address him by the name he had gained upon ascension to the throne and yet knew that she would only ever recognize the last pharaoh as her own. It made him burn with shame of the memories of his own rise to power, but the thoughts were stifled as Seto returned his attentions to the woman. "Explain yourself," he ordered, a hidden threat lurking in his tone._

"_The Millennium Pyramid, Scepter, and Tauk were originally enough," Isis coolly replied, the note of disapproval coming through loud and clear. _

_Kaiba felt a sudden pang of dread that turned his stomach when he heard the first whispers of Seto's fears that had yet to take form into full words. "Originally?" Seto repeated, swallowing hard and failing at his attempts to quell his nervousness that wasn't shown on his face._

"_It now appears that the Millennium Ring will also be required," Isis clarified with a slight curl of her lip in distaste._

_Kaiba's worst suspicions were confirmed when he first heard Seto worry about Bakura and it made him want to lash out violently at the priest. "I will not use it," Seto refused, his concerns about Bakura's spirit interfering from the Millennium Item telling Kaiba everything he needed to know. _

"_Then you will fail," Isis stated simply, but with great sadness in her voice. _

"_No!" Seto yelled as he slammed his fist down hard on the table to make the woman jump, causing Kaiba to share in the priest's pleasure at inspiring momentary fear in her. "Failure is not an option!"_

"_Then reclaim your soul," Isis suggested, sending a ripple of outrage through Seto that was tinted with a hint of protectiveness that enraged Kaiba. _

"_You know nothing of such things, priestess," Seto warned, shaking in barely contained emotions that were ripping through Kaiba at an alarming rate too fast to process._

_Isis lightly touched the center of the Millennium Tauk and it spoke volumes to Seto, even as Kaiba sneered at the woman from inside of his former incarnation's shell. "I speak only the truth," Isis reminded Seto as she let her hand drop to her side away from the enchanted necklace. "I have yet to see you as you are succeed in any alternative vision of what you're trying to accomplish."_

_Seto held tightly onto the table as he tried to contain himself from lashing out and striking the insolent woman. His own fears of failure stilled his hand and fueled his rage, adding to Kaiba's own fire of hatred that burned brightly at the priest. "I will bring him back!" Seto insisted._

"_Eventually," Isis confirmed, drawing Kaiba's attention away from the glimmer of hope that Seto harbored at the promise. "Your fragmented soul shall continue on until it finds the pharaoh once more and only then will he be restored."_

"_Then I shall succeed in bringing him back," Seto realized, breathing a sigh of relief that was too premature. _

"_Not as you are, only as you were," Isis prophesized. "In a distant land of another sun, your fallen soul will accomplish what you cannot."_

"_You speak in riddles, priestess," Seto said with disgust, even as his fear once again ripped through Kaiba, making the reincarnation try to parse together what part of himself Isis was referring to with her words._

"_May your soul learn from the mistakes of your mortal coil," Isis wished Seto as she turned to walk away. _

"_What do you mean?" Seto yelled out at her, a tendril of dread spreading through him to Kaiba._

_Looking over her shoulder with condemning eyes, Isis said, "I shall pray for our pharaoh's sake that the thief is not as successful stealing your heart away in the next lifetime."_

_The words were a slap in the face to Kaiba and Seto was reeling from the implications about Bakura. "There is—"_

_Interrupting Seto, Isis explained, "You cannot escape him so long as he is bound by your will. He will forever be at your side, just as surely as the pharaoh himself. To free the pharaoh, you must free the thief and face your mistakes."_

"_I cannot," Seto said with a firm resolve that made Kaiba rail against the priest for his idiocy._

"_No, you will not," Isis corrected him with a sad smile. "That is the difference."_

"_There is always another way," Seto insisted, determined to find a way without releasing Bakura._

"_Yes, and it shall be up to your future reincarnation to fix," Isis told him, before the world went dark with the shadows of hatred emanating from Seto._

Kaiba shook his head as he felt like he was dropped back into himself in the empty stone room. It took a moment to reorient himself and Kaiba was surprised to see a door in front of him that had not been present before. Looking over his shoulder and seeing that the door he came through was still there, Kaiba hesitated a moment before walking through the new door and falling back into Seto's memories.

_The Millennium Ring was cold to the touch as Seto traced the golden tips that felt like daggers to his heart. It wasn't until his fingers ghosted past the center eye that there was a stirring of warmth and Kaiba immediately recoiled, not wanting to see the vision. _

_It was too late for Kaiba as a spectral form of Bakura emerged from the Ring, hands on his hips, just above his skirt that was almost sliding off of them. He was still dangerously handsome to Seto and Kaiba was sure that he would have retched if he had a physical body with which to do so. "You know, given the amount of times you summon me, you should just free me," Bakura greeted Seto, sounding incredibly bored. "Save us both the effort."_

"_No," Seto refused, sounding firm despite the flicker of doubt that Kaiba heard through the faintest of echoes. _

"_I suppose this is more convenient for you," Bakura commented with a smirk, pressing his phantom body close to Seto's. "Plus I'd never be able to join with you like this with a physical body."_

_Before Seto could protest, Bakura summoned the power of the Millennium Ring and stroked the fragment of soul that bound him in place. Seto shuddered with a gasp as he felt Bakura deep inside of him, filling him with a warmth that he hated to acknowledge. Kaiba's revulsion hit new heights as he recognized the sensation from his own encounters with Bakura and he struggled against the feeling. "No," Seto once again refused, but with the same results._

_Bakura laughed harshly as he began kissing Seto punishingly, his spirit molding itself against the priest turned pharaoh. "I do so enjoy it when you resist," Bakura purred as he granted himself a substantiated body through the power of Seto's connection. "But I love it more when you give in…"_

"_I will not," Seto snarled, even as his hands sought out the thief's hips, disgusting Kaiba. _

"_You already have," Bakura reminded Seto with a smirk that looked too familiar for Kaiba's comfort. "You did all those years ago, back in—"_

_Seto captured Bakura's lips in a fierce kiss to silence him, succeeding in reducing the thief to nothing but a prolonged moan as he ground against the rising hardness. They continued fiercely battling it out with their tongues before Seto pulled back, angry with his own actions. Bakura could feel the jumbled emotions from their connection and he laughed cruelly at Seto and said, "You should have killed me, Seto."_

"_Even in death you would find a way to plague me," Seto muttered, his heart hurting in a way that made Kaiba feel ill. Kaiba hated being able to sense Seto's emotions and feelings as if they were his own, especially when it came to being near Bakura. _

"_Only because I will never leave you alone like that accursed pharaoh did," Bakura promised, stroking Seto's cheek affectionately. "Besides, you'd miss the challenge of me too much."_

"_Don't be a fool," Seto reprimanded the thief, although it was unclear to Kaiba whether he was speaking to himself or Bakura._

"_We are all fools," Bakura countered as he forced them toward the bed. "That pharaoh for letting you go, you for being unable to let him go, and me for loving you enough to condemn myself to your hateful affections."_

"_I want to be free of you," Seto whispered as Bakura stripped them of their clothes, the priest turned pharaoh offering no resistance._

"_Maybe next lifetime," Bakura teased as he situated himself on top of Seto and pinned the pharaoh beneath him. "Then again, you granted me an eternity to try forever."_

_Kaiba could feel everything as if Bakura was placing the sensuous kisses on his own neck and he fought against the sensations, too revolted to process the pleasure the same way as Seto. When Bakura's hand started to trail lower, Kaiba felt a dark anxiety over what was to come next and he mentally started to thrash against what was happening with Seto's state of arousal. _I want this to end now!_ Kaiba yelled out at the memory, trying to pull out of it and succeeding._

It felt like he hit the stone floor of the Millennium Puzzle room with bone shattering force and Kaiba groaned as he panted under the exertion and tried to rid himself of the residual sensations that were still flitting through his body from the vision.

Once he had sufficiently recovered, Kaiba looked around and realized that there wasn't a door to be found. Trapped in a windowless room without a door to exit, Kaiba felt a long repressed sense of panic start to rise within him that he might be trapped, but he forced himself to get his fears under control. He would not be weak like the priest; he would not give in to such disgusting emotions. Trying to be logical about his predicament, Kaiba realized that he might not be released until a vision reached completion. "Show me what other reason prevents him from being free," Kaiba requested out loud, disappearing into another memory before the last echo was silenced.

"_You seem troubled," a female voice offered in greeting, a small hand lightly squeezing Seto's shoulder and startling Kaiba as he was once again dropped into Seto's body. "What ails you?"_

"_I am reminded of my failures and weakness every day," Seto murmured as he stared out at a young boy playing in the distance with a cat under the warming rays of the blessed sun._

_The woman sat beside Seto, but still he did not look at her, thus denying Kaiba a glimpse of her identity. "You have saved this country and made it stronger than ever before," she reminded him, her hand moving down to rest on his arm, offering a silent strength. "A man of weakness could not have accomplished so many things in such a short time."_

"_As a pharaoh I have accomplished much, but as a man I have failed miserably," Seto sighed, looking down and catching a glimpse of her delicate hand that was colored by the loving kisses of a life lived in sunshine._

"_And yet I have no complaints about you as a husband, father, ruler, or man," the woman praised him with a warm affection that finally drew Seto's eyes to her._

_The woman was a young twenty, with long flowing hair that was as black as the darkest of nights and accented with jewelry worthy of her position as queen. Luscious lips and understanding emerald eyes were enhanced by makeup, a scent of night blooming river flowers gracing her skin. Kaiba could feel Seto's conflicted heart struggle as he stared at the woman, a litany of reasons why her words could not possibly be true running through his mind. "I do not love you as a good husband should," Seto told her, feeling a pang of regret that confused Kaiba._

"_You love me as much as you allow yourself to," she wisely noted, having accepted his splintered affections from the earliest days of meeting him in his days as a priest. "You treat me with respect and are good to me. What complaints should I have?"_

"_Because you know where my heart lies," Seto replied with a heavy sigh, knowing that his wife was familiar with his devotion on all levels to the former pharaoh—her former husband. _

"_And I know where your affections stray," she added, the words a slap in the face to Seto and Kaiba both because of the implication of the thief. "But at the end of the day, it is me you return to and I am content with that."_

"_You deserve far better, Nefersherit," Seto told her irritably, annoyed with how understanding she always managed to be. She provided him a logic for his actions with more frequency than he cared to accept, but Kaiba was too distracted by the woman's identity to pay attention to Seto's rambling thoughts. It made Kaiba assess her anew with a mounting feeling of confusion. _

"_Perhaps," she conceded, the single word wounding Seto deeply. "However, I chose to stay by your side and I will do so through every moment of your triumphs and tribulations."_

_Seto continued studying her, his mind silent for a moment as he truly looked at her to try and see her for what she really was. "You do so only because of a promise to a dead man," Seto pointed out, a deep bitterness unintentionally revealing itself. Seto had learned long ago that the pharaoh had asked her to take care of him and she was a dutiful enough wife to do so._

"_Do you rule solely because of a promise you made to him while he was still living?" Nefersherit wisely countered, knowing she had Seto defeated on that point._

"_That is different," Seto stiffly told her, even though he silently had to acknowledge the truth of her words. _

"_Only because you believe as such," she said with a sad smile. "I am with you of my own free will and I chose to love you despite knowing that you will never allow yourself to be loved by another after him."_

"_That is not entirely true," Seto eventually said, his gaze once more returning to the gardens and seeking out the young boy who was still romping with the kitten and filling their world with laughter and light._

_Nefersherit followed Seto's gaze and she laughed softly to herself as she realized, "No, I suppose it is not."_

_As if sensing the attention, the young boy looked over to them and waved with a giggle borne of innocence. "Setem!" Nefersherit called out, gesturing for her son to come to her side at once._

_The young prince picked up the kitten and walked over to them as quick as his little legs could carry him. Proudly holding out the black kitten to his mother, Setem exclaimed, "Basseti!" _

_Accepting the kitten with graceful hands and placing it on her lap, Nefersherit stroked its soft fur as she asked her son, "That is the name you settled on for this little one?"_

_Even though the question had been posed by his mother, Setem rested both of his hands on Seto's knees as he looked up in earnest eagerness and asked, "Is it good?"_

_Kaiba barely heard Seto's acknowledgement as he saw the boy up close for the first time. It was like looking at Yami as a child and Kaiba finally understood Seto's uneasiness at seeing a pint-sized replica of his dead lover looking up at him with such love and adoration. It would be easy to accept the son as a reincarnation, save for the fact that Seto was well aware of where the pharaoh's soul was condemned to reside. Kaiba could feel how deeply Seto loved the young boy and it was clear that he didn't look at the boy as merely his son, but neither did he view him in an impure manner. He didn't believe himself worthy of that second chance and he was content to accept his role of protector for the young prince._

_The small boy clambered up onto Seto's lap and hugged him tightly about the neck, giggling when the embrace was returned. Kaiba didn't understand how the experience was so heartbreaking to Seto and at the same time it filled him with a rare moment of peace despite the pain. "You've done well, my son," Seto reassured the prince, helping him settle down to sit in his lap as they continued looking out over the garden, appearing to the world as if they were a normal family. _

"_That's because you've done well as a father," Nefersherit reminded Seto before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. _

_Glancing at her with a frown over Setem's head, Seto started to protest when Nefersherit silenced him with a lingering kiss on the lips. "I can only pray that one day you will learn better than to argue with me, husband of mine," she teased before returning her attention to the kitten in her lap who was swatting at her necklace as if it were a toy. _

_Reaching over with his hand to capture hers that rested on the stone, he intertwined their fingers as they watched the sun slowly set in the distance._

When Kaiba fell out of the memory, he was standing in front of a new door, more disoriented than ever. It was information that Kaiba didn't entirely understand how it fit into his situation with Yami, other than finally understanding the full extent of Seto's fractured affections that prevented him from devoting himself as fully to the pharaoh as he once had been.

What didn't make sense to Kaiba was how Seto could still feel that way about Nefersherit, knowing what he did about how she was responsible for stealing away the pharaoh and leaving the priest alone. She had been warm and full of grace, but these things alone would not have been enough to sway Seto. Without warning, the stray thought reclaimed Kaiba into Seto once more.

"_You should not be out here," Seto warned as he silently approached the intruder in the garden that only he and the pharaoh shared together. _

_The young girl jumped guiltily as she turned around to face the priest, looking him in the eyes even as her hand nervously smoothed her hair behind an ear. "I knew not where else to meet you," she explained, prepared to face his wrath for invading a space that she knew to be theirs. _

_Her statement surprised Seto, but Kaiba was still too busy trying to orient himself with the sudden change. Nefersherit was many years younger than she had appeared in the last vision and Kaiba felt tense despite lacking a physical body of his own during the flashbacks. She was undeniably beautiful under the moonlight, her simple white linen gown paling under her natural elegance as she endured his cruel scrutiny. Kaiba couldn't help but think that she would make a beautiful fairy or elf card in Duel Monsters, but the very idea of it bothered him. _

_Seto continued staring at the girl before asking in a harsh voice, "And what business do you have with me, girl?"_

_Taking a step forward to come closer to the priest, Nefersherit explained, "I wanted to meet you."_

_Seto sneered at the girl and demanded, "Why bother? I have no use for you."_

"_I would like to be friends one day," she told him, taking Seto's large hand into her smaller one. "You are our pharaoh's most important person and—"_

_Ripping his hand away from her as if he had been burned, Seto interrupted her, "My place in his life is of no concern to you."_

_A little flare up of emerald rebellion caught Kaiba's attention even as it escaped Seto's notice when she boldly stated, "It becomes my concern when you start trying to remove yourself from his life."_

"_I have been fulfilling my official duties," Seto coolly informed her, a familiar guilt starting to creep up on Kaiba from the depths of the priest's heart; it was utterly exhausting to the modern incarnation. _

"_While neglecting your duties as his best friend," she heatedly countered, making Seto harden his gaze at her as if that would somehow stop her from seeing that he agreed with her. "You have been back nearly a fortnight and not once have you sought him—"_

"_The pharaoh has his own role to play and it would behoove you to learn that he has no time for dalliances such as you or friendship," Seto interrupted, his bitterness leaking out despite his efforts to constrain it. Inside, he was in more pain than Kaiba wanted to deal with as Seto struggled with the thought that she had been by the pharaoh's side the entire duration of his journey._

"_He will always have time for you," she insisted before looking down at the ground, her hair fanning out and blocking her gaze from him. _

_Nodding in agreement, Seto said, "I will always be his priority," even though he didn't believe such a thing in the depths of his heart because of the girl he was looking at that very moment. "You would do well to remember that, girl."_

"_I accepted that at the very start of our courtship," she replied, shocking both Seto and Kaiba into complete silence as that singular thought passed between them. "I will always be third to him."_

"_Third?" Seto repeated without understanding._

_Ticking off the priorities on her slender fingers, Nefresherit explained, "You will always be first, the country second, and I will be in a distant third. He has never said such a thing, but I know in my heart of hearts that it is now and forever will be true. Only I have the ability to fall in the rankings of his importance."_

_Seto wanted to rail at the girl, but his battered spirit was mollified somewhat by her revelation. "At least you recognize that much," Seto arrogantly replied, rather than denying his importance to the girl. _

_Rather than taking offense to his tone or words, she continued, "That is why I want to get to know you. You are his most important person and I wanted you to know that I recognize that. It is not my wish to come between you. He _needs_ you, Seto-sama. I am only a requirement of his station."_

"_Why would you accept such a thing?" _

"_Because we all have our roles in life," she replied after thinking on the question for a moment. "You challenge him through your own brilliance to be a better ruler, a better person. I am but a vessel to bear a royal heir for him, and should the fates be so kind, a close friend and confident for those times when your duties take you away from his side."_

"_I still fail to see why you would want to do something as illogical as try and be my friend," Seto said and Kaiba hated that he agreed with the sentiment. The girl was almost too understanding and Kaiba distrusted it, even though he had already seen how her loyalty had extended from the pharaoh to the priest. _

"_Friends do not need reasons," Nefersherit said with a feminine laugh that almost made Seto crack the faintest hint of a smile. "I know I have yet to earn your trust, but you have my word that I will not interfere with the bond you two share. The gods and time itself could not break that connection between you. I would be a fool to even try."_

_Seto could only stare at the girl, trying to understand her selfless claims stated without a single trace of deceit in her eyes. There was nothing but an earnest honesty in her unusual green tinted eyes and Kaiba could feel the exact moment when Seto decided begrudgingly to test her claims. "I will see him tonight should he have the time," Seto stated, causing her to smile brightly in a joy he would never understand. _

_Reaching out once more and clasping Seto's hands, she gave them a supportive squeeze as she said with a conspiratorial smile, "Thank you for listening to me, but perhaps you should return to your quarters."_

"_Why?" Seto asked, immediately suspicious of the dismissal._

"_Consider this my first attempt at earning your trust," she told him with a wink before she disappeared into the shadows with another giggle._

_Even though experience warned him not to do as she said, Seto decided that in order to prove her wrong, he would have to do as she said. Walking back to his rooms at a clipped pace, Seto took the back passageways and entered through his hidden door into his bedroom. To his great surprise, the pharaoh was sprawled naked on his bed, dozing in a light sleep. Even as he wondered whether or not Nefersherit had arranged the visit, Seto was already disrobing as he approached his bed._

_Straddling himself over the slumbering ruler, Seto lightly ran his fingers along the curve of the pharaoh's throat. It made the pharaoh moan Seto's name and it encouraged the priest to trail feather soft kisses along the paths his fingers had just traced. When his wandering hands had made it halfway down the pharaoh's torso, the ruler finally woke up with a contented sigh as his eyes focused on his priest. "So you have decided to stop avoiding me?" the pharaoh asked as he stretched in an attempt to wake up faster._

"_I was not avoiding you, pharaoh," Seto denied, taking an out on the technicality that he had not known the pharaoh would be waiting for him in the room. "I was attending rituals."_

"_That is not what I meant," the pharaoh said with a frown, knowing that Seto was being deliberately obtuse. _

"_If you must know, I was delayed by Nefersherit," Seto informed the pharaoh, just to get a glimpse of his reaction._

_Seto was somewhat disappointed when the pharaoh's response was only, "And?"_

"_And she attempted to make herself understood to me," Seto elaborated as he ran his hand along the pharaoh's outer thigh to drift teasingly to the inner portion._

"_Did she succeed?" the pharaoh asked, causing Seto to still his touch._

"_Was that your intention?" Seto asked suspiciously as he leaned back onto his haunches to study the pharaoh critically. "Did you send her to me?"_

"_I did no such thing," he denied, frowning in displeasure at the assumption. "I decided since you were hiding yourself away from me I would come to you. I had no knowledge of her attempt to see you."_

"_But you knew of her desire to speak with me," Seto accused, easily reading between the lines._

_Finding it both comforting and frustrating to be so well understood by his priest, the pharaoh confessed, "She had mentioned that she wished to be introduced to you. I denied her."_

"_Why?"_

"_I thought it unwise to introduce her to a person who considered her an adversary," the pharaoh answered. "You have no intentions of accepting her or her position, so I saw no reason to put someone such as her through your impossible scrutiny."_

"_There was a time when you felt the same way," Seto muttered, understanding months ago that Nefersherit was a necessary evil; accepting it was an entirely different matter._

"_She is good to us, Seto," the pharaoh insisted. "There would be few people who would understand this and fewer still who would want to accept it. Whether you like it or not, I must have an heir and even as incredible as you are, it is the sole thing you cannot provide me. It does not make me love you any less or—"_

"_I do not wish to be informed of such things," Seto interrupted harshly, not wanting to think about his pharaoh's progeny. It meant that there was a chance the pharaoh would die, a chance that Seto would never be willing to accept. Even though Seto logically understood the need to secure an heir, his heart would never be willing to share the pharaoh with another._

"_We are not children anymore, Seto," the pharaoh pointed out with a heavy sigh as he sat up to properly face the scowling priest. "We cannot afford to naively continue to believe that I can hold my throne and give our people peace of mind without the promise of a future pharaoh to continue on with our visions for this country."_

"_You will fall in love with her," Seto predicted, finally voicing his fear out loud after having met her and seen firsthand what kind of person she was._

"_She will never be you," the pharaoh reassured his disturbed priest, caressing his cheek lovingly. "And although as the mother of my children, she will have my respect, gratitude, and affection, she will never have the love and esteem that I hold for you and you alone. Perhaps one day when you find yourself in the same position as me, you will understand."_

_The feelings ricocheting through Seto were physically painful for Kaiba to endure and when he heard the first whisper of the thief's name in the darkest depths of his mind, the reincarnation started trying to remove himself from the vision once more without success. "You would have me with another," Seto flatly stated, recoiling from the pharaoh's touch._

"_Your position as High Priest also requires certain sacrifices," the pharaoh realistically pointed out to Seto. "A wife and children will be expected of you as well."_

_The ease with which the pharaoh said such things was tearing the priest up inside and he quickly got off the bed and stalked over to his put on his discarded robes. "Seto, do not do this," the pharaoh pleaded rather than ordered. "You have to understand the reality of our circumstances—" _

"_There are always other alternatives," Seto coolly interrupted as he stormed toward his hidden door. _

"_Damn it, Seto! Where are you going?" that pharaoh demanded as he got out of bed and tried to head the priest off before he could escape._

"_I have to complete a ritual," Seto cryptically said and suddenly the thoughts of Bakura got louder and more twisted, disgusting Kaiba. "I suspect you will be doing the same."_

_The pharaoh's questions of what Seto meant went unanswered as the priest escaped into the darkened path of his private tunnels, stopping only once in his hidden room to change into civilian clothes to better blend in with the world he was about to enter. Only when he reentered the darkness did Kaiba get granted a reprieve from the twisted thoughts of the punishment that the thief was about to receive as a result of the pharaoh spurning his affections in such a manner._

Kaiba was grateful when he hit the hard stone floor of the room inside the Millennium Puzzle. He was utterly disgusted with the priest for weakly seeking out the thief instead of fighting for the pharaoh, but at the same time, Kaiba hated that he could understand Seto's need to punish both the pharaoh and himself for the decision. In the depths of Seto's soul, he caught reflections of entering the thief's lair and binding him in place so that he could not touch the priest as they copulated for the first time. Kaiba pushed it away and scrambled to come up with something to save himself from seeing such horrible things.

"Show me the ceremony," Kaiba ordered, forcing himself to his feet to approach the monolithic door in front of him. "Show me how to bring him back."

The door opened and Kaiba was once again surrounded by darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** It's been awhile since I've done such a long chapter, hasn't it? I don't know who I feel worse for: Kaiba for enduring the visions or Yami for having to sit and wait it out alone. This is an involved arc, so brace yourselves for what's coming up next~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Kaiba could only watch the man cry, feeling a hollowness within himself as he discovered the truth of Yami's entombment._

Next week we're still inside the Millennium Puzzle, but there will be more answers still on **Sunday, June 26th**. Until then, I look forward to the debates to come up from the flashbacks!


	28. Chapter 28: In Pieces

**A/N: **There are some **schedule updates** at the end of the chapter, so please be sure to take note.

* * *

**Chapter 28: In Pieces**

_As Kaiba felt himself observing from above the scene, he couldn't help but wonder if he was viewing the ceremony from the Millennium Puzzle's perspective. It was an absurd thought and one that Kaiba would have previously ignored with ease, but he knew that it was going to be harder to do so in the future. He had seen too much and experienced it too closely to ever be so dismissive of it again._

_The Millennium Ring was suspiciously absent from the other three Items on the altar that Seto was standing in front of while Isis resided behind it, the Dueling Stele presiding over it all. Her eyes were disapproving as she reflexively touched the place where her Tauk normally resided, her voice full of reproach as she questioned, "You are sure about this?"_

"_It has no place here," Seto insisted and for once Kaiba was free of the priest's conflicting and complicated emotions on the subject of Bakura. _

"_I shall endeavor to do my part to ensure your success," Isis stated, "as per our agreement."_

"_Understood," Seto agreed before they both lapsed into silence and began the ceremony._

_Kaiba observed with a careful eye to detail, doing his best to commit the ancient chants and prayers to memory. The entire thing resonated within his very soul, but Kaiba could feel the wrongness in the air as the Millennium Items remained lifeless on the altar, refusing to heed Seto's calls to power._

_After trying in vain for some time, Isis finally interrupted to say, "It is enough, Seto-sama."_

"_It will never be enough until he is back by my side where he belongs!" Seto growled, his voice hoarse from the continuous chanting. The oath struck Kaiba deeply over his current situation with Yami, but he pushed the thought aside and attempted to focus on what was happening.  
_

"_As I told you then, you shall not succeed in this lifetime as you are," Isis said, angering Seto enough to clench his hand into a fist that shook with barely restrained emotions. The priestess said nothing further as she departed, leaving Seto alone with the ancient artifacts and endless regrets. _

_Walking over to the Millennium Pyramid, Seto picked it up and caressed the sides of it as he had once done to his pharaoh. "Why won't you return to me?" Seto whispered to it, bowing his head until his golden third eye on his forehead connected with the cold metal one. He tried to project his soul into it to draw his pharaoh out, but he was refused—although whether it was by the Item or the pharaoh contained within was unclear. "Why have you forsaken me?"_

_Silence was his only answer and Seto's voice got louder as his anger started to turn, "Why make promises that you had no intentions of keeping?"_

_Still there was nothing but silence and Seto once again tried to use his spiritual strength to penetrate the Millennium Pyramid to find his pharaoh and restore him to life. There was a warning pulse that lashed out at his soul for its attempted invasion, but Seto ignored it and pressed even further as the stretched out to find any trace of the pharaoh._

_Just when Seto thought that he had found the pharaoh, the Millennium Pyramid violently rebuked the intruder and the priest turned pharaoh cried out in pain. It felt as if he were being seared from the inside and although Seto was holding onto the chain, he could not prevent the self-destruction of the Millennium Pyramid as it once again pulsed with a power that blew it to pieces that fell to the floor and scattered over stone._

_Seto collapsed to his knees as he choked back a sob, crushing one under his knee as he reached out to the one closest to his hand, bearing the Millennium Eye that was mocking in its blankness. "Why would you do this?" Seto demanded in anguish as he looked around the shattered remnants of his lover's tomb._

"_So that you will move on in this lifetime," the pharaoh's voice echoed faintly through Kaiba's core. _

_Looking up in despair, Seto saw the countenance of his pharaoh for the first time in almost ten years. Reaching out to it, Seto tried to embrace the ghost, needing to bring him to life somehow. "You are wasting the life I gave mine for," the pharaoh said sadly, caressing Seto's face and wiping away a tear with a transparent hand. "We will have all of our next life together, so live this one in my honor so that we may be together again in the future."_

"_You cannot disappear," Seto pleaded, his desperation evident on his face. "I still need you!"_

"_I am always within you, my love," the pharaoh whispered, caressing Seto's soul before his spirit fragmented into as many pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and found its final resting place._

_Left truly alone for the first time without the illusion of return to keep him going, Seto broke down and wept as he had not done since his pharaoh had first sealed himself away. Kaiba could only watch the man cry, feeling a hollowness within himself as he discovered the truth of Yami's entombment. It angered him in a way that he considered irrational, but his very soul ached at the sight of his ancient self weeping tears as if that would somehow bring the pharaoh back to him. _

_Eventually Nefersherit entered the holy sanctum and knelt beside him with a comforting arm around his shoulders to offer support. Seto was too in shock to notice, but Kaiba watched as she caressed a single piece in farewell before looking sadly at her husband. She held onto him, although he never once turned toward her for sanctuary as he continued to grieve in heaving sobs that wracked his whole body much like the guilt that was eating away at his very core. _

"_Let us leave here," Nefersherit eventually entreated Seto, trying to encourage him away from the remains. _

"_There is nothing left," Seto whispered, his voice cracking at the first admission of what had transpired. _

"_Then there is no reason for you to remain here," Nefersherit logically countered as she lightly touched Seto's arm to get his attention refocused on her._

_Although Kaiba wasn't connected with Seto as in the previous visions, the rage rippling out from the grieving man was almost palpable as he growled, "No! I will gather the pieces, rebuild it, and then—"_

"_That will not bring him back," Nefersherit firmly told Seto, trying to make him understand. _

"_That is my punishment," Seto realized, opening his hand and revealing the Millennium Eye piece once more. "You are punishing me for my transgressions!"_

_Sighing heavily, Nefersherit reassured her husband, "No one is punishing you, save for yourself."_

"_Then why won't he come back to me?" Seto demanded as he looked back to the fragment resting on his palm. _

"_Because he has crossed over to the realm of gods that we may one day enter ourselves," Nefersherit said, although the comfort she had hoped to provide wasn't reaching Seto. Realizing that something had to be done, she stood up and looked down at Seto sadly before turning and leaving the room, her gown fluttering behind her as she departed. Kaiba could faintly hear her giving instructions to a guard at the door not to let anyone enter and then she was gone, leaving him only one thing to focus on now._

_Kaiba watched as the grief morphed into anger as Seto continued addressing the pieces, "If that is true, then I will bury you in the center of a real pyramid, so deep in the depths that no one other than me shall find you again. They may find your body, but never will I grant them your soul. That is mine and mine alone!"_

_Having sworn his passionate declaration, Seto sat back on his haunches as he wiped away the shameful tracks of tears from his cheeks, surveying the full extent of the destruction. It was impossible for Kaiba to truly know what thoughts were going through Seto's mind at that point, but he could feel the echoing turmoil in the depths of his own soul, reflecting the ancient misery that had one ripped him apart. It was almost a relief when Nefersherit walked in, if only to give him a distraction from Seto._

_Kneeling down at Seto's side once more, Nefersherit gently set an elaborate golden box on the floor that was designed with the same motif as the rest of the Millennium Items. Something about it bothered Kaiba, something familiar about it that he knew he should remember and yet couldn't quite place. He wracked his brain trying to recall why it looked so familiar when it dawned on him that he had seen the small box on Yuugi's desk. _

"_Why is that here?" Seto coldly demanded, glaring down at the object as if it were the most offensive of things._

"_Because we cannot just leave him on the floor," Nefersherit answered, clearly bracing herself for the backlash from her words._

_Rather than the explosion of rage she was expecting, Seto merely sneered as he stood up and smoothed out his robes. "Who would have thought that his wedding present to you would eventually become his soul's sarcophagus?" Seto sarcastically remarked as he deposited the center piece into the box before her stormed out of the room, confusing Kaiba._

_The vision didn't follow Seto, nor did it end as Nefersherit surveyed the shattered pieces. "I never knew you to be so cruel in life," Nefersherit said sadly as she gathered the pieces one by one and put them in the box. "So many years inside of this have clearly corrupted you."_

_She silently completed her task of putting in each piece of the Millennium Puzzle, reverently doing it at a pace that made Kaiba anxious for what was to come next. As she came down to the last few pieces, Nefersherit resumed her commentary, "It is not fair that I will have to bury you twice in one lifetime, let alone watch Seto die twice inside because of his love for you."_

_Saying a soft prayer to the pieces on behalf of the former pharaoh's departed soul, Nefersherit traced the design work on the box as she had so often before, but her actions took on new meaning. Her words ended abruptly when Nefersherit stiffened immediately at the sound of soft footfalls and she picked up the box as she stood, turning in a fluid motion, begrudgingly impressing Kaiba as her face slid from emotionally vulnerable into a regal queen as she faced the intruder._

_Kaiba noticed the contempt for Isis hidden in Nefersherit's eyes and it intrigued him as to what reason she could have for animosity toward the woman. "I did not grant you entrance, priestess," Nefersherit stated, shocking Kaiba as all the warmth he had come to know in her voice bled away into the coldest of icy tones._

"_I apologize, my queen, but—"_

"_I have no use for your apologies, only your absence," Nefersherit informed Isis, making Kaiba smirk at the way it made Isis fight down an indignant reaction._

"_I will leave as soon as I—" Isis started to say as she walked toward the ceremonial table, only to be interrupted again._

_Nefersherit took a step to the side to block Isis from continuing forward as she said, "No, you will leave now or I will have you removed."_

"_From this room or from my position?" Isis challenged, her response causing Nefersherit to smirk maliciously in a way that did nothing to detract from her beauty._

"_From this world if you continue to defy me," Nefersherit replied with the sweetest of smiles that bespoke nothing but danger and a very real implied threat. Even though Kaiba didn't want to like the woman, she definitely earned a point in her favor for such a response. _

"_All I seek is my Millennium Tauk, queen," Isis persisted, although she did not dare take another step closer without permission._

"_You are denied," Nefersherit refused, not giving in at all. "I shall see to it that it is buried to the deepest level of the Underworld along with the rest of these accursed items."_

"_This country still needs—"_

_Once again interrupting Isis, Nefersherit disagreed, "No, all this country needs is the leadership of my husband. Now get out or I will have you forcibly removed, priestess. It is your choice whether it is from this room or this realm."_

_Swallowing hard, Isis bowed her head reverently, although the hard line of her mouth belied the effort she had to make in order to maintain her silence. Not saying another word, Isis walked out of the room as ordered, causing Nefersherit to sag a little in relief at her departure._

"_What use is such a thing if it couldn't be used to save us all from this horrendous fate?" Nefersherit wondered out loud, her grip tightening on the small box in her grief as she knelt down once more to pick up the cover she had previously left on the floor. With another whispered word of blessing, Nefersherit placed the lid on the box and then there was nothing but an ancient dark silence._

Dropped out of the vision, Kaiba found himself on the floor as he tried to absorb the totality of what he had just witnessed. Everything was a whirlwind in his mind and Kaiba knew that what he had seen would haunt him for a long time. He was angry, angrier than he could remember over the ancient past, and Kaiba gathered his wits about him as he stormed out of the room. Instead of coming to the central hall where Yami should have been waiting for him, Kaiba stepped into another room that was no different than the last. Growling at the delay, Kaiba ordered, "Take me to him, damn it!"

Rather than complying the way Kaiba had meant, the ancient artifact acted to its own whims and dropped him back into another vision.

"_Why don't you tell him?" Yuugi implored Yami as they sat on the stairs of the pharaoh's soul room, confusing Kaiba as he once again was left outside of himself as a mere observer of a scene. It was a conversation that Kaiba had no frame of reference for and he would have wondered why the Puzzle chose to show it to him, except so far it had always acted within reason._

"_Because he'll blame himself," Yami replied as he rested his forehead against his clasped hands and closed his eyes. _

"_He already _does_ blame himself," Yuugi pointed out, causing Kaiba to scowl at how well Yuugi was coming to understand him. "He needs to know, Yami."_

_Sighing heavily, Yami's pessimistic streak continued to show itself. "I don't have any answers to give him, aibou." _

"_Sometimes, 'I don't know,' is an answer," Yuugi said, trying to find any way to change Yami's mind on the matter._

"_It's never an acceptable one," Yami muttered, his grip tightening until his fingers started to discolor. "Not with him."_

_Frowning at Yami's statement, Yuugi defended Kaiba, "You're not being fair to him."_

"_I'm not wrong," Yami shot back, finally glancing over at Yuugi with turmoil in his expression that Kaiba was rarely privy to. _

"_Did it ever occur to you that maybe Kaiba-kun already knows about it?" Yuugi asked, frustrating Kaiba with the riddles revolving around him. _

_Finally releasing his hands and leaning back on the stairs, Yami looked up at the labyrinth of stairs as he confessed, "I know he already knows. It's just a question of how much he knows."_

"_Then why aren't you talking to him about this?" Yuugi continued pleading Kaiba's case, confusing the brunette. "If he already knows, then what's the harm in—"_

"_Because it doesn't matter," Yami interrupted with a growl, causing Yuugi to jump at the ferocity of it. "It doesn't change anything, it doesn't—"_

"_Shouldn't you let Kaiba-kun decide that?" Yuugi suggested, making Kaiba wonder what had Yuugi fighting so hard in his defense._

"_What does knowing that I married Nefersherit—that I was _happily_ married to her in the past matter?" Yami snapped, finally cluing Kaiba in on what the dilemma was. "It changes nothing about our situation. That information has no relevancy in me regaining my body, so why bring it up?"_

_Shifting his position on the stairs to bide his time, Yuugi finally replied, "Because it's bothering you and Kaiba-kun is eventually going to figure it out. If he hasn't already."_

"_Why did Bakura have to be right?" Yami whispered as he once again curled up on himself. "It's all my fault. I was the one that drove him away."_

"_What happened between the priest has nothing to do with Kaiba-kun and you now," Yuugi reminded Yami, understanding that he had lost his focus. "So the pharaoh was forced to marry her. It's not like she's been reincarnated and is interfering in your present relationship, right?"_

_Yami looked as stricken as Kaiba felt by the suggestion of Nefersherit in the present time and silence stretched into minutes of eternity. "What if she was?" Yami quietly questioned, voicing a question that Kaiba hadn't dared to address previously._

"_You can't be forced into marrying her again," Yuugi dryly pointed out, making Kaiba scowl at the fact that the sole voice of reason was the smaller duelist. "Even if she was reincarnated, it's not like you would ever leave Kaiba-kun for her. And he is _not_ going to leave you for Bakura. He'd be pissed that you even thought such a thing and I don't blame him. You're just making problems to distract yourself from the real issue."_

"_You're right," Yami admitted with a sigh, leaving Kaiba to wonder when Yuugi had gotten so perceptive. _Too much time with Anzu_, Kaiba realized with a slight smirk that quickly faded. "It's just…hard."_

"_But not impossible!" Yuugi said with a bright enthusiasm that made Kaiba roll his eyes as he realized his suspicions about the shorter duelist spending too much time with Anzu was closer to the truth than he thought._

Falling back into himself without warning, Kaiba shook his head to clear his mind as he sat in the empty room. As much as he wanted to storm outside and confront Yami or whatever other memory awaiting him, Kaiba took a moment to get everything sorted out in his thoughts. There was just too much information to process and Kaiba didn't even know where to begin. The flashback of the ceremony should have been sufficient, but there were still visions afterward, which made Kaiba feel like something crucial was missing. There was a niggling feeling in the depths of hi_s _heart that warned him he could not complete the ceremony yet and it was infuriating. He started to challenge the Puzzle that he had seen enough, but he didn't dare voice aloud that thought for fear of what memory it would thrust him into as punishment.

Focusing on the last memory, Kaiba was surprisingly not that upset over Yami withholding his recent discovery of the marriage to Nefersherit in the past. They had both already suspected that had been the case, so it was nothing more than confirmation of something Kaiba already knew about, however it was the state of the marriage that was news. Like Yami had said, it really changed nothing about their situation—plus, there were other things to occupy their rare moments together now than such underwhelming discoveries. It also suggested that Yami was still unaware of the past he had not been around to witness, which still left Kaiba with the dilemma about whether or not to disclose what he had learned about Setem.

Recognizing that was a decision that could wait, Kaiba stood up and squared his shoulders as he faced the door in front of him. He hoped that it would bring him to Yami and away from the exhausting visions, but he cleared his mind as he walked through to minimize the chances of stepping into another past.

* * *

**A/N:** As many of you noticed, I missed last weekend's update. I had some unforeseen personal circumstances that got in the way on top of some issues with my muses. I thought things would get back to a slower pace once I finished my degree, but it seems that's not the case.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_And what would you have me do?" Seto questioned, his voice cracking as his emotions started to get the better of him. "What else will you make me endure?" _

As I mentioned above, I'm not entirely sure I like what I changed in the upcoming chapter, so I'm going to post **Chapter 29 on July 17th **in order to have a little more time to work on it. That does not mean there will be no update next week, however.

On **Sunday, July 10th**, I'll be posting an **Entangled Series sideshot** that I've mentioned a few times over the past few years, entitled **Truthful Lies**. It will be a **twoshot** that takes place during and after **Another Lesson, Chapter 9**, except it's told from Bakura's point of view rather than Kaiba's. It will be implied onesided Bakura over Kaiba/Seto in the first chapter and a **M rated lemon** in the second chapter between the Priest and Thief in a flashback. It will give some understanding over things that happen later in this story, but for those of you that object, you will be okay skipping the second chapter. Having said that, I have no idea when the second chapter will go up, so it's a moot point currently. :x

So hopefully I'll see you all on **Sunday, July 10th **when I post **Truthful Lies**. Otherwise, I suppose we shall meet here on **Sunday, July 17th**…


	29. Chapter 29: Muddled

**Chapter 29: Muddled**

_He stepped into a blinding darkness that was broken only by the softest of sighs that sounded far away. Kaiba remained still as he tried to orient himself and he narrowed his unseeing eyes when he heard a moan that he knew all too well. Before Kaiba could process the fact that he was hearing Yami, there was an explosion in his mind that wasn't fully his, a hurt that ran deeper with rage and hurt than anything he had ever experienced. Kaiba was startled by the feeling of his head connecting with stone as the darkness grew darker still as the sounds of pleasure on the other side suddenly amplified. It was disorienting as there was a sudden breeze and infuriated footfalls that were taking him away from the sounds and closer to the inner turmoil that could belong only to one other person._

_Words filtered through Kaiba's mind in an unknown language and he seized them instinctually, recoiling almost immediately in disgust from the memory flash of the thief corrupting the priest's language with the swears of the criminal underworld while plundering his body exquisitely on a makeshift bed of furs. The words gave Seto a language for his anger, for his outrage, for his desperation as it took him another step further from his position by the pharaoh. Kaiba pushed it aside, but the new words wouldn't leave his mind so easily. _

_Kaiba was startled when there were suddenly angry hands on his body, ripping off the priest's robes with the hatred of his inability to fulfill his role purely and everything it represented. The luxurious fabric that bespoke of his high ranking official status were replaced with rough linens of the commoners and Kaiba started trying to pull himself out of the memory because he already knew what that meant—who that meant. _

_A distant noise of a door drew both of the attentions and Kaiba was once again overtaken by a rush of the priest's emotions as he hurriedly stripped off his disguise and hid it away in a hole in the wall before slipping back into his pants and rushing away in silence—another skill he seemed to have picked up from the thief. _

_Kaiba felt blinded as they suddenly emerged into the priest's room, the sunshine and birdsong confusing him since the reincarnation had been under the impression that it was night. Tossing aside the rest of his priestly robes as the wall closed behind him, Seto stood with his arms crossed over his bare chest while he waited for his follower, his rage unable to settle itself, making Kaiba wonder when this memory had occurred._

_The pharaoh emerged from the wall, looking more infuriated than Kaiba had ever seen Yami and it was disconcerting to see the two of them facing off against each other with such seeming hatred. It gave Kaiba a bad feeling, but he was helpless to do anything except watch as Seto asked in a cruelly mocking tone, "Done so soon?" _

"_You do _not_ get to talk to me that way," the pharaoh growled threateningly as he stalked closer to Seto with a malicious air that did nothing to intimidate the priest._

"_Oh, forgive me, my pharaoh," Seto factiously apologized with an overly dramatized bow that was shocking to Kaiba with its disrespectfulness. No matter what situation he had witnessed, the core of Seto had always held his pharaoh in the highest regard, even when he was doing the lowest of things with the thief. "How rude of me to insinuate that his royal highness has anything less than the most impressive stamina—"_

_Shoving Seto hard in the chest and shocking Kaiba with the fact it was enough to force the priest back a few steps, the pharaoh repeated in an emphatic tone on the point of snapping, "_You_. Do _not_. Get to talk to _me_ that way."_

"_Is it my tone or my words that you object to, your most honorable rule of all the lands?" Seto asked in the smarmiest of voices that set even Kaiba's teeth on edge. It made him want to throttle the priest, but that was impossible from his invisible cage inside of Seto's memories._

"_Mind your place," the pharaoh warned, a very real threat present in his words that the priest ignored._

"_I am but your humble heavenly servant—"_

_Gritting his teeth in annoyance, the pharaoh interrupted to argue, "There is nothing humble about you!"_

"_And nothing heavenly either, but—"_

"_Only because you continue to sully yourself," the pharaoh accused, the first time Kaiba had ever heard the pharaoh hint at the priest's transgressions. _

_Drawing himself up to his full height, Seto demanded, "And what would you know about it?"_

"_Plenty," the pharaoh snapped, once again invading Seto's personal space, allowing Kaiba to observe the scarlet rage up close. It was as troubling as it was beautiful and Kaiba couldn't tell if they were about to fight or fuck; either way, it was going to be an intense bout._

"_By relying on your Watchers?" Seto scoffed, knowing how easy it was to shake their attempts at following him. "You'll have to do better than that."_

"_I don't need them to know what you've been up to," the pharaoh informed Seto, but Kaiba was surprised by how nonplussed the priest was being over the conversation. Everything was lost in his anger as he observed any signs of being with Nefersherit only minutes ago. _

"_You know _nothing_," Seto spat, covering his self-hatred with vitriolic walls of words._

"_These are my lands!" the pharaoh protested, his indignation making itself known in his tone. "I know all and you would do well to remember that."_

_Taking a step closer to the pharaoh, Kaiba was shocked when Seto's hand shot out and wrapped around the pharaoh's delicate throat with just enough pressure exerted for it to be considered a threat. "What do you know of anything other than love and adoration? You know _nothing_ of life and the darkness of existence," Seto said in a voice that chilled Kaiba as much as the action. Even though he had direct access to the priest's flow of thoughts, Kaiba was still lost as to the angry and cruel actions that were being taken out on the pharaoh in actuality. "Don't you dare say that you know of the ugliness of this world that we've all tried so hard to protect you from!"_

_When the pharaoh swallowed hard, Kaiba was shocked by the shot of arousal that cut through Seto as he leaned closer still with a menacing need. "You act like you're the only one that has ever suffered," the pharaoh countered, wrapping his fingers around the priest's wrist, but making no move to free himself. "You act like you're the only one that is suffering, Seto."_

"_Oh yes, because you sounded like you were suffering through _that_," Seto snapped, his grip tightening as the memory of the pharaoh moaning in pleasure with his wife cut through him painfully. _

"_She's not you," the pharaoh insisted in a strained voice, looking up at Seto with an earnest expression that did nothing to move the priest._

"_Apparently that has no meaning anymore," Seto snidely shot back as his thumb dangerously caressed the pharaoh's jugular vein. "If it ever did."_

_Kaiba was shocked to feel the sudden sting of the pharaoh's backhand across the priest's face for the comment and the fact that Seto released his grip barely registered. He was too mesmerized by that fiery look in the pharaoh's eyes, that challenging and angry expression giving the pharaoh an air of passion that Kaiba felt oddly drawn to as he remembered the hateful way Yami had stared at him during their earliest of meetings. _

"_How dare you say that to me," the pharaoh hissed, his hand clenched tightly in a fist as his whole body vibrated with the strength of his emotions. "How dare you to even think that! After everything, after every single promise, after—"_

"_You lost your right to be so self-righteous about me after you forsook us," Seto replied, arrogantly tilting his chin up, but making no other moves to ease the hurt that slap caused._

"_And what of you?" the pharaoh challenged darkly, his eyes narrowing in his rage. "Or are you practicing some new form of penitence that I am unaware of?"_

_Kaiba was as deeply shocked as Seto felt the guilt over the matter. It was the first time Kaiba realized that the pharaoh was aware of what was going on with Bakura, although the full extent of his knowledge was still unknown. It made Kaiba feel uncomfortable and ill as his hatred of Seto increased even more, but his regard for the pharaoh took a hit as well. If the pharaoh knew, why did he let it continue? _

_Seto's silence allowed the pharaoh to continue questioning, "Who are you trying to punish? Yourself or me?"_

"_That is _not_ what this is about," Seto insisted, growing even more uneasy with the conversation, but not nearly as much as Kaiba. _

"_Are you afraid that I've abandoned you just like everyone in your life?" the pharaoh asked with a cruel laugh that chilled Kaiba; there was something disturbing about someone with Yami's face using the past so maliciously. He was shocked when the pharaoh suddenly reached out and cupped Seto's member through his clothes, massaging it slightly with a skilled squeeze of his hand. "Maybe I should remind you just what you mean to me…"_

_The conflicting arousal and anger was rushing through Seto and Kaiba had no choice but to experience it, the sight of determined scarlet still sending a thrill through him even though it was the pharaoh. "Do you expect me to spread my legs for you like she does?" Seto asked in a threatening tone that made the pharaoh pause. _

"_Seto—" the pharaoh tried to protest, but the priest would hear nothing of it as he physically picked up the ruler and forced him onto the bed, ignoring every indignant sound and hit he received for the action. _

"_I will not be your harem whore," the priest growled as he caged the pharaoh under him. "I refuse to be reduced to the same level as her, just a receptacle for your base urges." _

_The shock of the reversal had worn off and the pharaoh's temper was starting to flare up again as he warned, "Do not take your anger at me out on her. She is still the queen of these lands and is owed the respect of her position."_

"_Of her _position_?" Seto repeated, the words sounding like the foulest ever spoken. "What respect should I give to the woman who gained such a position by being contractually obligated to have sex with you for the betterment of the nation?"_

"_You are treading dangerous grounds, Seto," the pharaoh warned, unwilling to listen to his wife's good name be besmirched. _

"_Then call your guards," Seto retorted, knowing that he could break out of the prison if they forced him into it._

_Furrowing his eyebrows at Seto's flippancy, the pharaoh finally said, "You are as much at fault here as I am."_

_The quiet response stopped Seto's next tirade and the pharaoh took the chance to explain, "You have been avoiding me ever since the announcement. Even once you returned from Karnack, you have run away from every attempt I have made and—"_

"_And you honestly expect me just to sit around like an obedient wife and await the chance for your affections to stray to me for one night?" Seto questioned indignantly. _

"_I thought your loyalty to me went further than that," the pharaoh answered, triggering another explosion of anger in his emotional priest that was almost painful for Kaiba as it tore through him._

"_You speak to me of loyalty?" Seto snapped, his voice rising in his outrage. _

"_I suppose your late night adventures are exercises in border patrol for my benefit?" the pharaoh snidely challenged and Kaiba was shocked by the strong desire of the priest to slap him for such a comment._

_Seto fisted his hands against the sheets next to the pharaoh's head, trembling with barely contained emotions. The comment had struck close enough to Seto's guilt that it stilled him from arguing further as his anger turned inward, but Kaiba's ire only increased. He couldn't understand how they both shared awareness of the issue and yet it was allowed to continue. Seto should have at least been shamed into stopping his visits with Bakura since the pharaoh clearly knew, and yet it almost appeared to Kaiba that the pharaoh's knowledge and refusal to act served as a weird consent of their actions. He knew how hard Yami fought for everything he cared about, so the pharaoh's seemingly passive acceptance was too foreign for Kaiba to process in comparison to the man he knew. It made him think there was more to the problem than just the marriage to Nefersherit, but Kaiba was having trouble piecing it together. _

_Finally Seto said, "I am too loyal to stay and watch you betray me with her."_

"_Your logic is flawed," the pharaoh pointed out with a fleetingly sad smile._

"_And what would you have me do?" Seto questioned, his voice cracking as his emotions started to get the better of him. "What else will you make me endure?" _

_Reaching up and placing a kiss against the priest's parted lips, it was heartbreakingly tender, causing Seto to protest, "No," as he realized it was the first time they had kissed in months. Undeterred, the pharaoh sought out another kiss, even as Seto pulled away from it to save himself from getting caught up in something he wanted almost as much as he wanted to avoid it._

"_You are still bound to me," the pharaoh reminded his priest, caressing the side of his face. "Fate made you mine."_

"_She is your wife," Seto ground out, trying not to sway on the issue._

"_And you are my everything," the pharaoh countered, confusing Kaiba with the heartbreak that comment caused the priest._

_Making a rude snort, Seto quietly refuted it, "I have become your nothing."_

"_That is not true!" the pharaoh insisted, but Seto wouldn't hear of it. "Let me show you what you still mean to me, Seto."_

_The seductive look on the pharaoh's face made Seto's heart beat faster and Kaiba became increasingly disturbed by where things seemed to be going. It was weird enough being with the priest when he was suffering through emotional outbursts; inhabiting him in the middle of a sexual experience was out of Kaiba's comfort range. More than that, Kaiba was recognizing some of the darker feelings swirling inside of Seto were the same as he once suffered and it was upsetting to him on multiple levels._

_Showing a quickfire emotional switch from anger to a dark satisfaction that Kaiba was overly familiar with in himself, Seto smirked as he mused, "Perhaps it is I who should show you instead."_

_Before the pharaoh could protest, Seto kissed him viciously with an angry passion, drowning as much in the pharaoh as himself. His hips moved against the pharaoh with a need that had been denied for too long and Kaiba struggled to stay himself. It was a challenge not to get swept away in the deluge of Seto's emotions, but Kaiba valiantly attempted to stay as removed as he could from the experience._

_The pharaoh's attempts at shoving Seto off of him were futile until the enraged priest granted reprieve to catch his breath and collect himself. When the pharaoh tried to move the priest off of him again, Seto caught his arms and pinned them down to the bed, completely immobilizing him. "Perhaps I should show you what pleasures only I can grant you," Seto murmured against the pharaoh's neck before teasing the sensitive flesh with his teeth. _

_A nervous look of apprehension in the pharaoh's eyes escaped Seto's attention, but the uneasiness was clear in his voice as he asked, "What are you talking about?"_

"_She is incapable of pleasuring you as…completely as I can," Seto answered, sliding his hand along the pharaoh's thigh and under his skirt to help him understand. Letting his hand drift down toward the pharaoh's entrance he dared not touch previously, Seto traced around it and watched for reactions. "If I show you that, maybe you will understand…"_

_The vile thoughts running through Seto's mind ghosted through Kaiba and he was aghast to realize that the priest's excitement stemmed from always being the bottom partner with the pharaoh. It pissed off Kaiba more than he could even understand, but the fact that the pharaoh was seen as an untouchable god at least made some logical sense; it curbed his rage only minimally. He had gone beyond disappointment with his former incarnation, but Kaiba didn't have the words to describe what the revelation made him feel as the visions of long repressed fantasies of domination ran wildly through his mind because of the priest._

"_I understand without that," the pharaoh reassured Seto, but Kaiba could clearly see the deep uneasiness he was feeling in the face of the priest's wrath. _

"_Do you?" Seto questioned as his finger came dangerously close to penetration. "Do you _really_?"_

"_Seto, stop this," the pharaoh ordered, but the uncertainty in his tone detracted from his authority._

"_I refuse," Seto whispered with a smirk as he placed a kiss over the pharaoh's rapidly beating heart. _

_Making a surprisingly feral noise that Kaiba hated himself for finding it as arousing as the priest did, the pharaoh sounded firmer as he said, "You cannot."_

"_I just did," Seto countered as he moved his hand up to grasp the pharaoh's member and start working it slowly. "Other parts of you do not seem to harbor the same false protests…"_

_The pharaoh's attempts at edging away from the contact only served to incense the agitated priest, causing him to roughly strip his struggling captive of his only article of clothing. "Never forget, you are the one who started this," Seto reminded the pharaoh as he paused long enough only to remove his own robes. "You are the one who foolishly bound us to such a fate."_

"_It was never supposed to be like this," the pharaoh said mournfully, even though he knew it changed nothing. _

"_It is far too late for such things. I will show you what being bound to me means," Seto growled before aggressively trying to dominate the pharaoh's desires. _

_Although Seto was enjoying the power trip of finally overcoming his pharaoh, Kaiba was being tortured by the distressed sounds that the pharaoh made as he desperately dug his fingers into the priest's shoulder to try and stop what was happening. It was bringing back unwanted memories of the time when he lost control with Yami and Kaiba didn't want to remember such a shameful thing. Yami may have forgiven him for that day, but Kaiba had never managed to forgive himself for the way he had acted and what he had subjected the former pharaoh to. _

"_Is this what it means to you?" the pharaoh asked when the priest stopped ravaging his mouth and moved down his torso._

_The words drew Seto's attention and paused his frenzied passions long enough to look up at the pharaoh. "Do not try and trick me with words now," Seto warned, his grip tightening on the pharaoh's slender hips as the wrongness of what he was doing started to set in for the priest. _

_Reaching out and stroking the side of Seto's cheek, the pharaoh continued questioning, "Is this what I have reduced your love to?" _

"_Then you acknowledge this," Seto demanded as he jerked away from the touch, the tenderness highlighting the contrast in his harsh treatment. "You accept blame for this."_

"_I did what I had to do," the pharaoh defended himself, although it brought little solace to Seto. "You of all people should understand that."_

"_And that makes this okay somehow?" Seto pressed, his fingers twitching against the pharaoh's skin._

_Shaking his head, the pharaoh silently denied it, but that was little consolation to Seto. He resumed his frenzied pace of desperate passion, groping the pharaoh hard and causing him to groan in pain rather than pleasure. It spurred Seto on, even as Kaiba was railing at the priest to stop; he didn't want to watch his other self make a mistake too similar to the one he made in with Yami. But nothing stopped Seto as his hands traveled downward and insistently started stroking the pharaoh's member, although it did no good. Nipping at sun kissed skin to earn a reaction of any kind, Seto let his fingers trail down to tease the one place of the pharaoh's body he had always been denied. He looked up at the pharaoh's face and the expressionless way he was staring at the ceiling pushed Seto past reason as he demanded, "Where's your fight?"_

"_Fight?" the pharaoh repeated, his gaze never straying from the ceiling._

"_Your resistance," Seto clarified, a bubble of rage rising inside of him at the pharaoh's passive response. "You are the ruler of all things. Act like it!" _

"_If this will make it right for you—"_

"_Make it _right_?" Seto repeated, his voice sounding borderline hysteric at the mere thought of it. "You dare to disrespect me with your pity? Out of everything I need from you, pity is _not_ it."_

_Reaching out to touch Seto in comfort and clarification, the pharaoh was rebuffed when the priest leaned away from the touch as utter disgust filled him. It was a sentiment that Kaiba understood so well that it was hard to distinguish it from his own feelings on the subject. There were few things more vile to him than pity; he had accomplished too much for people to look at him with such emotion. _

"_And what do you need from me the most?" the pharaoh asked softly as he sat up to evenly meet Seto's enraged gaze. _

"_You actually have to ask," Seto realized in shock, a complicated emotion taking over in his disappointment that was well-known to Kaiba despite its nebulous, nameless feeling. "You…"_

"_Seto, tell me," the pharaoh requested, his imploring and earnest gaze failing to move the priest. _

"_I shouldn't have to," Seto quietly replied as he sat back and freed the pharaoh from his grasps._

_Frowning and once more reaching out only to be rejected, the pharaoh insisted, "I just want to make this right."_

"_It is no longer a matter of being right or wrong," Seto told him, trying to systematically wall himself off from the volatile emotions that were threatening to overtake him and Kaiba. _

"_Then why do I feel as if I am losing you?" the pharaoh mournfully asked, his tearful expression upsetting Kaiba as much as it numbed the priest. "As if I have lost you already?"_

"_Because you have given up," Seto said, his voice cracking over the words as he finally acknowledged it out loud for the first time. _

"_There is no truth in that!" the pharaoh protested, but his words failed to move Seto. "You have not even given me the chance—"_

_Standing from the bed and drawing him up to his full height, Seto stared down uncaringly at the pharaoh who suddenly looked so small and powerless. "You are the pharaoh of these lands. It is up to you to create the chances, is it not?" Seto asked, falling back into his role of instructor. "Your words have become nothing more than excuses."_

_Hurriedly getting off the bed, the pharaoh started to defend himself with words until he realized that Seto would never be willing to listen as he was. When he tried for another kiss in an attempt to convince him otherwise, the priest used his height advantage to avoid the affection, causing the pharaoh to rest his head against Seto's chest with a heavy sigh as he clenched his fists at his side as the tears started to fall. "Where did I go so wrong?" the pharaoh whispered, making Kaiba concur with Seto's eye rolling over how oblivious the question made the ruler sound._

_Even though Seto was being ripped apart inside with regret at reducing his pharaoh to such a state, he stepped back and cruelly said, "You are being an embarrassment to us both with your shameful behavior. How can you expect to be a true ruler of the lands when you cannot even dominate your own emotions?"_

"_It is not that easy for the rest of us to wall ourselves off from what matters most to us," the pharaoh defended himself as he looked up at Seto with watery accusation._

"_From where I stand, you seem to be quite skilled at such a thing," Seto sneered, although the words cost him deeply to say. _

"_Clearly you are not willing to listen to reason right now," the pharaoh said as he angrily wiped away his tears._

"_You have yet to say anything reasonable," Seto countered as he arrogantly tilted his head and tried to appear unaffected by the display of the pharaoh's emotions._

_Turning on his heel and grabbing his discarded clothes, the pharaoh coldly decided, "I refuse to be belittled by you. Come find me once you are willing to act like a man about this rather than a scared little boy who keeps lashing out in his fear."_

_The comment felt like a slap in the face to Seto, immobilizing him while he watched his pharaoh storm out the way he came. Seto numbly stood and stared at the spot the pharaoh had just been and Kaiba was thankful that the emotions were mercifully dormant for the brief moment of stillness. It didn't last long, as the feelings returned with more force than before, causing Seto to stagger over to the bed and drop onto it with a pained noise of disappointed failure. Resting his elbows on his knees and clenching his eyes shut, Seto rest his forehead against his hands and tried to get in control of himself. He felt like he was being utterly ripped apart by the chasm that had formed between him and his pharaoh and Kaiba was uncomfortable with the wallowing in such strong emotions. The churning feelings were almost overwhelming and it was hard to hold on to himself the longer he as subjected to it. He wondered why he was still trapped in the vision; he had seen more than enough and it was clear that the pharaoh wouldn't be returning._

_The answer came sooner than Kaiba would have liked when the priest stiffened at the softest noise behind him and a crushing sense of bitter acceptance started to weigh down on him. Kaiba felt the dread building inside of him as the bed dipped behind them, his disgust skyrocketing when a body was suddenly pressing against Seto's back and tenderly embracing him. A soft kiss on the cheek shocked Kaiba and as much as he wanted to pull away from the vision and what was about to happen, the utter stillness of the moment was intriguing despite his feelings toward his ancient antagonist. _

_Resting his chin on the priest's shoulder, no words were exchanged as the priest sat motionless and in the darkness of his closed eyes without acknowledging his unseen companion who had yet to speak. Seto finally started to crack despite his stoic efforts and he whispered, "I hate this."_

_The arms embracing Seto hugged him that much tighter and another kiss was placed on the back of his shoulder in comfort, but no words were offered; none would have been accepted and they both knew it. "How long were you there?" the priest finally asked with a heavy sigh as he opened his eyes and stared down at the arms encircling him._

"_Long enough," Bakura answered and Kaiba would have groaned if he had a voice at being right about the identity of the intruder._

_A scoff escaped Seto that sounded too much like a sob for Kaiba's tastes as the priest challenged, "Come to gloat?"_

"_Does this look like gloating to you?" Bakura reprimanded him, his tone soft despite his seriousness. "I'm here for you, nothing else."_

"_Why?" Seto whispered, shattering inside in ways that almost started to scare Kaiba as he was forced to observe a new angle of their twisted relationship._

_Relinquishing his hold on the priest just long enough to gracefully relocate himself onto Seto's lap and look him in the eye, Bakura caressed the side of his face and answered, "Because as long as I'm in the shadows, you will never be alone, Seto."_

_If the words had been spoken at any other time, they would have felt like a threat rather than a devoted oath that was sealed by a soft yet insistent kiss that the priest didn't resist. His hands fisted in the thief's skirt, trying to resist the temptation to plunge himself into the depths of sinful damnation. When they parted, Seto rested his forehead on Bakura's shoulder, unable to hold his earnest gaze. "But _why_?" Seto questioned mournfully._

"_For the same reason you cannot abandon that foolish and ungrateful pharaoh of yours," Bakura commented as he caressed the priest's brunette hair in a loving manner that was starting to freak out Kaiba more than just a little. _

_When Seto pulled back to look at Bakura, Kaiba wasn't sure what expression the priest was showing him, but it moved the thief to kiss him on the forehead as he pleaded, "Let me take you away from here."_

"_I will not leave," Seto stubbornly refused, but he did not shy away from the contact. "Least of all with you."_

"_Should I take solace in the fact that you are only cruel to the ones you love?" Bakura murmured against Seto's lips between enticing kisses. _

"_I do not love you," Seto vehemently denied. _

"_You don't love him either," Bakura countered with a wicked laugh. "Not like you used to."_

_Pushed too far, Seto growled, "Get out," and tried to get the thief off of him. _

"_You don't deny it," Bakura purred as he shoved Seto onto his back and pinned him down to the bed. "You _can't_ deny it."_

_When Seto started to protest, Bakura cut him off with a hard kiss that caused Seto to growl into it as it became an outlet for his aggression. Every attempt to overthrow Bakura resulted in the thief thrusting hard against him in a mimicry of midnight betrayals. "I won't let you deny it," Bakura continued as he started teasing the priest into hardness. _

_Overthrowing the thief and reversing their positions, Seto had the blade of the Millennium Rod pressed against Bakura's throat as he warned, "You go too far, thief."_

"_No such thing," Bakura retorted as he rolled his hips with a perverse smirk. "We've only gotten started, after all…"_

"_This will go no further," Seto told him, but Kaiba knew from experience that the thief wasn't going to listen._

"_Only because you're too stubborn."_

"_Because it is wrong!" Seto argued back, clenching his hand into a tight fist around the Millennium Item as he tried to control his outburst._

"_No, what's wrong is how he treats you," Bakura shot back with a sneer at the absent pharaoh. "It's wrong that someone as proud as you accepts that sort of treatment."_

"_Do not speak to me of such things," Seto hissed, not willing to listen to a lecture from someone like the thief._

_Seto was startled when Bakura swiftly freed himself and looked down at the priest with something akin to disappointment, confusing Kaiba thoroughly at the expression. "He's right, you refuse to listen to reason," Bakura commented, incensing the priest. _

_When Seto started to argue back, Bakura got off of the bed, confusing both Kaiba and the priest. It must have reflected on Seto's face because Bakura laughed, the sound a little cruel and hurtful to the priest, making Kaiba feel wretched inside at the response. "What would you do if I left you alone like he does? What would you do then?" Bakura challenged._

"_Thank the gods," Seto flippantly answered through his flash of fear at the idea, causing Bakura to frown and Kaiba to get angrier. _

"_I don't believe you and I know you don't believe yourself," Bakura said. "You live your life in too many lies, priest. You're starting to get just as bad as him."_

"_You would know a thing or two about lying, wouldn't you?" Seto retorted as he sheathed the blade and sat up to face the thief. _

"_The only thing that hurts you more than the lies are the truth behind them," Bakura told the priest before leaning down and stealing another demanding kiss. _

"_Leave," Seto ordered, but he was still breathless from the intense kiss and Kaiba could feel the shameful need in the priest for the thief to disobey and stay. _

_Caressing Seto's cheek lovingly, Bakura looked down at him fondly as he said, "Fine, I shall leave you to sulk in your silence since you wish it. Perhaps I shall return during evening prayers when you're already on your knees and more open to seduction."_

"_Foul creature," Seto sneered, but he didn't jerk away from the teasing touch._

"_Yours to command," Bakura retorted before disappearing after a final kiss._

"_As if you would obey," Seto muttered to the emptiness, sighing heavily and expelling Kaiba back into himself through the breath of darkness._

Back in his rightful body, Kaiba lay motionless on the stone floor and thought of nothing. It was the safest option and Kaiba wasn't even sure if he was capable of thinking anyway. There were too many things that had been seen—even more things that had been felt—and it overwhelmed Kaiba into the safety of numbness. He couldn't handle thinking of the pharaoh's coldness and the thief's warmth that warred with the fickle priest caught in between them. Out of everything he had seen with Bakura in the past, nothing disturbed him as much as the softness of their silence, the understanding it implied. It was too close, too comfortable, and it frightened him to think of what that eventually developed into as time progressed. So instead, Kaiba thought of nothing and nothingness, waiting until it was safe to move once more, waiting for the heaviness of his accursed ancient heritage to abate.

The denial could have lasted a minute or a lifetime, but the thoughts of what it meant to tell Yami eventually crept into his mind even as he tried to shut it all out without success. It had to be addressed and dealt with in order for him to succeed with the ceremony, that much was clear. There was a reason that the Millennium Puzzle was showing him things even after the failed ceremony and it was frustrating to Kaiba because he didn't understand the purpose of showing him such things when the ceremony really should have been the end of it.

Trying to find a logic for the Puzzle's madness, Kaiba questioned whether or not it was just the nature of the item to plunge him into repeated visions, regardless if he had seen enough to get him through the ceremony to do it properly for the last time. All he wanted to do was get back to Yami, to have Yami back at his side as he belonged, and laying uselessly on the floor wasn't the way to accomplish that.

Forcing himself to his feet and wondering if he was standing on the floor or the ceiling, Kaiba squared his shoulders and took a step forward toward the next door.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope this one is okay, because it's what caused the delay originally. The guys just sort of got out of hand, but it's a complicated relationship. That keeps complicating itself further. Oi…

But hey, I finally broke 100,000 words! Yet_ again_. Thank you so much for supporting me through yet another bohemoth fic. It really means a lot to me, although that's a huge understatement, to put it mildly.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_You've seen the truth for yourself, so how can you say that?" Yami demanded, his eyes blazing with ancient anger. _

I'll post the next chapter on **Sunday, July 24th**, which will conclude the Millennium Puzzle Arc. After this, then it's back to the real world when all hell breaks loose, but in a fun sort of a way.

For those of you who braved **Truthful Lies** last week, thank you! For those who didn't, I hope this was worth waiting for…


	30. Chapter 30: With Words

**A/N:** There's a **lemon** in this one, so enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 30: With Words**

It was a small mercy that Kaiba exited into the labyrinth hall of stairs and he exhaled in relief as he spotted Yami sitting glumly far below him. Pushing aside all thoughts of the past that could wait until his waking hours and trying not to focus too hard on the fact he was walking upstairs to go down, Kaiba finally made his way down to Yami, somehow managing to end right side up once he reached ground level.

Yami stared at him with a projected apathy that failed to hide his nervousness, his look of wary fear at Kaiba's reaction to the flood of memories from the past. Kaiba frowned as he reached out to touch Yami's cheek and was rebuffed, but he couldn't blame his boyfriend's reaction given his track record. It made him feel terrible to see Yami flinch away from the contact before stilling to accept it. "What was that for?" Kaiba asked as he gently caressed Yami's cheek, keenly aware of how his voice echoed in the hollow space.

Giving Kaiba a withering glare, Yami said nothing as he continued staring defiantly, just daring the reincarnated priest to say something. He had braced himself for the explosion of rage over discoveries and the calmness had Yami on edge, just waiting for the blaze. When there was only answering silence, Yami growled, "Say something, damn it!"

Rather than answering with words, Kaiba leaned down and kissed Yami's forehead, thoroughly confusing the former pharaoh. "Seto, what—?" Yami started to ask, only to be shushed.

Even though it wasn't his original intention, Kaiba found himself tilting Yami's chin back to angle for a kiss that only served to confuse the spirit further. It was almost heartbreakingly tender and Yami hesitated before engaging in it, his body still tensed for something else to happen. When they parted, Yami asked, "What did you see?"

"Whatever it felt it needed to show me," Kaiba cryptically answered as he knelt down on the stairs in front of Yami and leaned forward to pin him. He wanted to reassure himself with his Yami, to lose himself in his boyfriend rather than the past, but the distance was still too present.

"Shouldn't you be furious right now?" Yami continued, swallowing hard at the position Kaiba was getting them into at the moment.

"I am at not being able to get you out of here faster," Kaiba replied as he braced his hands on the stairs behind Yami's head and engaged in another deep kiss that made Yami squirm. "I have no intention of making you languish in here as long as that idiot priest did."

"Why aren't you angry with me?" Yami questioned in the softest of voices, still resisting the urge to embrace Kaiba until he knew where they stood.

"Because this time you didn't volunteer for this," Kaiba explained, not understanding his own logic until he said it out loud. "This didn't happen by choice, it happened by circumstance. Why should I waste time being mad when I can just fix it?"

The response confused Yami, as did Kaiba's perpetual state of calmness. "But—" Yami started to protest, but Kaiba wouldn't hear of it.

"Later," Kaiba insisted, not wanting to waste their time together.

Placing his hands on Kaiba's chest and pushing ever so slightly to force some distance between them, Yami said, "_Please_, Seto. I need to know."

Pausing in his actions, Kaiba replied, "I saw the ceremony," since he knew that was most likely Yami's concern.

"What caused it to fail back then?" Yami persisted, feeling a long forgotten anxiety rising up from within him.

"The priest was an idiot and the pharaoh was a fool," Kaiba answered with a growl coloring his words. "How Nefersherit was the only one with any common sense between them is beyond me."

"You've…seen her?" Yami asked in a quiet voice as he watched Kaiba carefully for a reaction.

"Yes," Kaiba admitted as he shifted positions, pressing closer still to Yami, "but we can talk about it later."

"Seto, I was married to her," Yami blurted out, the need for confession a painful one.

"So was the priest, so we're even," Kaiba said with a dark smirk that stunned Yami.

Furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to read more into the simple admission than was there, Yami could only ask, "What?"

"This wasn't the only thing you gave to the priest to ensure his succession," Kaiba said with a vague gesture at the world around them.

Yami looked downright distraught at the revelation and Kaiba bit back a curse when the former pharaoh said in a rush of words, "Not only did I marry her, but then I made _him_ do the same? What kind of man did I used to be?"

"A ruler who understood what was good for his people," Kaiba answered, logically understanding the pharaoh's actions, even though it still galled him. However, having seen Nefersherit's interactions with Seto, it didn't enrage him as it once might have. It was a weird understanding to have and his lack of issue with it was more upsetting than the actuality of the situation. "She was a necessary pawn for the people's support and they all understood that."

"That's horrible," Yami whispered as he closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to look into blue. "Damn it, why did Bakura—"

"He's not right!" Kaiba interrupted to snap, not wanting to hear such a thing, even if there was a grain of truth in the thief's words.

"You've seen the truth for yourself, so how can you say that?" Yami demanded, his eyes blazing with ancient anger.

"Because none of it matters," Kaiba said, forcing himself to calm down and not get into a fight. "All that matters is getting you back and I don't give a damn about what that bastard says. It changes nothing."

When Yami started to protest again, Kaiba silenced him with a harsh kiss, pressing the former pharaoh hard against the steps and trying to ignore the fact he was acting out much like the priest had in the previous vision. "Nothing else matters but you," Kaiba insisted, moving his body against Yami's as if that would somehow convince him, as if that could bring them closer together.

Every attempt at speaking was cut off by Kaiba's insistent mouth, sealing off anything more than a moan. When Yami finally surrendered to Kaiba's passions, only then did the teen escalate his actions.

Trailing his hand down Yami's torso, Kaiba began unraveling the shirt into shadows which fled into the corners as they continued. Yami could only gasp as that happened, making a note to question the ability later when he had more reserves to dedicate to thinking about something other than how amazing it felt to be with Kaiba.

Pleased with the silence, Kaiba began working his way down Yami's neck with his lips, the rest of their clothes disappearing into wisps of smoke as he moved his way further down with a rain of kisses. He wouldn't be completely satisfied until he heard the endless echo of a moan in the cavernous hall of stairs.

"Seto?" Yami hesitantly asked, getting an annoyed look in response. "Are we actually going to talk about this for once?"

Biting back a snark at the "for once" part of Yami's question, Kaiba moved back up to look him in the eye. "Once I wake up, fine. But until then, I'd rather take advantage of our opportunity here. "

"I'm holding you to it," Yami warned, although he knew Kaiba was too honorable to break a promise.

"That's fine, once I have time to process everything and figure it out," Kaiba agreed before kissing Yami senseless once more. He knew there were still too many things that he needed to think about, but it could wait; nothing else mattered in the Millennium Puzzle except for Yami.

Having come to an agreement, Yami finally allowed himself to surrender, even though he was still burning with questions. It was odd, because Kaiba actually seemed oddly composed over his experience, but Yami had to wonder if that's because he had simply walled it all away instead of dealing with it immediately. He wasn't left long with such thoughts as Kaiba continued working his body, drawing him away from his troubles and closer to a moment of pleasurable peace.

Balancing himself carefully on the stairs in a manner he was pretty sure would be impossible in real life, Kaiba slipped one of Yami's legs over his shoulder as the other one wrapped around his waist. He pulled Yami forward slightly before penetrating without warning and loving that they didn't have to waste time with the reality of preparation before getting started.

Starting a slow and rhythmic pace, Kaiba finally felt at ease in the unnatural environment as he immersed himself in the totality of Yami. It felt shockingly real to Kaiba and he watched with a burning hunger in his eyes as Yami writhed underneath him, grabbing onto higher stairs to try and ground himself when he started thrusting harder. It was beautiful watching Yami unravel as he became more and more vocal, his body reacting automatically to the intense pleasure. This was what was real for him, he was the only thing that mattered and Kaiba refused to stop until they were properly reunited.

Gripping Yami's ass harder than he would have dared to in reality, Kaiba began pumping in earnest as the former pharaoh started scrambling for a hold as he gasped and arched back under the sensations. His hands finally sought purchase on Kaiba's arm and the other on his shoulder as Yami met the harsh rhythm with a feral growl that made something inside of the former priest shudder in a pleasurable way.

Kaiba continued kissing Yami hungrily they moved, feeling like he could never make up for lost time. He was so lost in Yami that he didn't care and Kaiba was starting to become more vocal as they continued at their relentless pace, completely in sync with each other and feeling as if they were merging into one.

It made Kaiba instinctively reach out to Yami's soul, but he was rebuffed with a breathy, "No," that was unsettling all the same.

"Why not?" Kaiba demanded with a punishingly shallow thrust that was driving Yami crazy with need as the pace was slowed accordingly.

The truth was that Yami was afraid that if they bonded in the Puzzle, it might somehow trap Kaiba inside of it and that wasn't a risk the former pharaoh was willing to take. "Not in here," Yami insisted, even as he tried to take Kaiba deeper within him on a physical level.

Although Kaiba wanted to push the issue, he let it slide in favor of physical release and he let Yami's leg slide back down to rest on a step as he shifted positions once more. It had Yami crying out as Kaiba went deeper, making him feel whole in a way he had been lacking since being entrapped in the Millennium Puzzle once more. There were fragmented words that were fractured by sighs as they continued nearing their peak, but Kaiba understood the gist of them all the same.

Yami finally came with Kaiba's name on his lips, relaxing for the first time since the whole ordeal had happened. Kaiba didn't stave off his own end in the interest of time and he growled, "Yami," as he finally found release. Only then did Yami embrace Kaiba completely, grounding himself through the feeling. It brought Kaiba more peace than he would ever be comfortable admitting, but he didn't reject it. After seeing what happened when the priest rejected the pharaoh, Kaiba didn't think he would ever take it for granted after their ordeal. It made him kiss the side of Yami's neck as he rested, just enjoying the companionable silence that he knew would be interrupted shortly.

"Seto?" Yami hesitantly asked after a few moments.

"Mm?" Kaiba noncommittally responded.

"Is it really going to be okay?" Yami questioned in a small voice. "I mean, just…everything?"

Propping himself up to look at Yami properly, Kaiba said with unwavering confidence, "Absolutely."

Brushing at Kaiba's bangs, Yami started to say, "If it's—"

* * *

Kaiba awoke with a jerk, gasping as his eyes tried to focus in the dark. "Damn it!" he swore angrily, feeling entirely unsettled and disoriented.

"Shh, I'm still here," Yami reassured him, causing Kaiba to startle at the sight of Yami's ethereal form.

Relaxing marginally with a heavy sigh, Kaiba irritably ran his fingers through his hair before letting his arm drop onto the pillow. "What happened?" Kaiba asked, unsure of what had pulled him so rudely from sleep.

"I don't know," Yami replied with a shrug, just as confused as Kaiba since the room was quiet and there was no discernible reason for awakening him.

"I am so sick of that answer," Kaiba groused as he rolled over to better see Yami.

"No more than I," Yami retorted with a sad smile, tracing Kaiba's cheek with ghostly fingers. "Now sleep."

"Are you going to watch me?" Kaiba asked with a wary glance at Yami, not sure how he felt about that.

Unable to smother his grin, Yami replied, "I suppose you think that's creepy?"

"You think it's normal?" Kaiba countered with a rude snort, although he felt himself fading back into the depths of sleep.

"Good night, Seto," Yami wished him with a small smile that turned sad once Kaiba's eyes surrendered to rest. He just wanted everything to go back to normal and even though he was by Kaiba's side, normalcy seemed so far away still. Yami wished he could share Kaiba's confidence on the matter, but it was so hard to do in the stillness of the dark nights.

* * *

**A/N: **I swear, no one is ever going to believe me about posting dates at the rate I'm going, ugh. My computer died and I had transferring issues, thus my delay. Good news is that my new computer is awesome. Bad news is that the delay inconvenienced everyone. I'm so sorry, I keep trying to get back to my old pace and things just keep happening. So much for my goal of wrapping this fic up before I move countries…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Feeling ridiculous when he saw no one, Kaiba scowled at himself and started to walk toward the bed when he heard a voice say, "Did I interrupt you too soon? I was hoping the briefs would be gone."_

I will post the next chapter on **Sunday, August 14th**, come hell or high waters. Thank you so much for your continual patience and encouragement in reviews. They make me feel simultaneous great and guilty all at once, rofl. So in summation: thank you and sorry.


	31. Chapter 31: Ambush

**A/N:** I don't think it deserves a warning, but Bakura gets a bit forward and I know some of you hate that. It's not without purpose and Kaiba gets his revenge, so hopefully you'll stick with me through it. Should be important for some later chapters, so just keep that in mind...

* * *

**Chapter 31: Ambush **

Kaiba was so beyond exhausted as he entered his room the next afternoon that he barely had the energy to go to his closet and hang up his suit properly. As tempting as it was to leave it on the floor for he maids to take care of, it was one of his favorites, so he forced himself to make the effort as a test of willpower.

Moving sluggishly, Kaiba shrugged out of his jacket with a wince, really feeling the after effects of his fight with Ogata from a few days earlier. Trying not to think about it as he toed off his socks, Kaiba placed his suit on its rightful hanger before tossing his dress shirt and undershirt into the hamper for washing. Only then did he step out of his slacks and put them away, more than ready to crash in his bed after his ordeal in the Millennium Puzzle. Just as he was about to leave, Kaiba thought he heard a sound in his room and he was instantly on alert. Even though Kaiba knew it was probably just a delusion brought on by lack of sleep or a maid, he still grabbed his knife and tried to subtly peek out of the closet door and survey the room.

It appeared empty, but Kaiba still didn't let his guard down and he exited with the knife palmed in his hand, ready for any attacker. Feeling ridiculous when he saw no one, Kaiba scowled at himself and started to walk toward the bed when he heard a voice say, "Did I interrupt you too soon? I was hoping the briefs would be gone."

Spinning around and instantly assuming a defensive stance, Kaiba stared in barely masked shock and horror as Bakura stood before him with a perverse grin. No amount of clothes would have made Kaiba feel covered as Bakura's eyes appreciatively roamed over his form, the subtle lick of his tongue against lips disgusting the brunette. Resisting the urge to throw his knife and mortally wound Bakura, Kaiba demanded, "How the hell did you get in here?"

Scoffing as he approached, Bakura haughtily pointed out, "If I could break into the most complex of pyramids, what makes you think a house is a challenge?"

Knowing how many provisions the mansion had in place for intruders, it was overly disconcerting that someone like Bakura had bypassed his security with such seeming ease. Before he could say anything else, Bakura was in front of him and with a flick of his wrist and assistance of the shadows, the knife Kaiba had been brandishing fell to the floor, the tip embedding into the ground. Growling a protest, Kaiba shifted into a different stance, knowing he didn't need any weapon but himself; he was more than capable of self-defense against any enemy.

"What I want to know," Bakura said with a glint of danger in his narrowing eyes, "is who dared to hurt you like this."

"It's none of your damn business," Kaiba snapped, taking a step back when Bakura reached out to touch one of the bruises on his chest.

"Perhaps not, but it _is_ my concern," Bakura retorted as he defiantly traced an easily accessible mark on Kaiba's forearm.

Kaiba was too exhausted to stop his initial reaction from escaping past his lips, "Why?"

"_Because you are mine to protect_," Bakura replied in their ancient language, causing a shudder of revulsion in Kaiba.

"I am not!" Kaiba heatedly denied, refusing to slip into the other language and give Bakura the satisfaction.

"Regardless," Bakura said, once again returning to Japanese, "I will punish whoever dared to do this to you."

It was almost too weird to process the protective streak Bakura was displaying toward him and Kaiba ordered, "Stay out of it." The reminders of the priest's interactions with Bakura in the past were too quick to come to mind and Kaiba couldn't afford to let himself be distracted by it with the very person in front of him.

"Was it the same person who stole away your precious pharaoh?" Bakura asked, completely ignoring Kaiba's command.

Rather than answering Bakura with words, Kaiba decided to take things into his own hands and launched an attack. Launching him self toward Bakura with the speed of surprise, Kaiba landed a hard punch on the thief's cheek, sending him sprawling.

Instead of enraging Bakura, his eyes lit up with a malicious glee as he wiped the blood from his lips before licking it off his hand. "Oh, so you want to play?" Bakura purred as went on the counterattack, moving with more alacrity than Kaiba had been expecting.

Kicking out at Kaiba's chest, Bakura's first attack ended in failure when the reincarnated priest caught his foot and spun him hard onto the ground, landing in a hard kick of his own that made the thief cough violently as the wind was knocked out of him. When he tried to spring off of the ground and hit Kaiba in the middle with his shoulder, Kaiba landed a hard punch to Bakura's ribcage and he could have sworn he felt a rib crack, but it wasn't enough to stop him.

Bakura tried to aim for the darkest bruises, knowing those were areas that someone else had been able to land a hit, but every time he was blocked and counterattacked. "You're a better fighter than the priest ever was," Bakura said after another punch failed to connect.

Catching Bakura's fist, Kaiba used a judo technique to throw the problematic teen face first onto the floor as Kaiba retorted, "I'm a better _everything_ than that priest ever was." Using the fist as leverage, Kaiba bore the entirety of his weight against Bakura's back with his knees, taking care to use pressure points near the kidneys as assistance to keep him still. The knife that had been discarded earlier was within reach and Kaiba used the advantage of his longer arm span to grab it and then hold it against Bakura's throat.

Bakura almost moaned at the feeling of the knife's cold metal kiss of Kaiba's burning anger against his neck. It was held with an almost disturbingly surgical precision against his jugular vein to ensure his full cooperation and Bakura was as impressed as he was angered by how easily he was subdued. "I would have let you kick my ass ages ago if I knew that it would end with you on top of me almost naked," Bakura taunted with a dark laugh that incensed Kaiba.

"You're in no position to say such things," Kaiba warned, letting the knife dig into Bakura's neck enough to draw blood when the teen not so subtly ground his hips against the floor.

"Actually, I'm in your favorite position," Bakura teased in bitterness, relishing the slow drip of blood escaping and knowing that it would leave a stain that would worry Yami, "the one where you could fuck me without having to look at me so you could pretend that I was the precious little pharaoh you wanted to be with instead."

"_Never again_,_"_ Kaiba swore in their ancient language, twisting Bakura's arm to the point where it almost caused the thief's shoulder to dislocate.

Bakura's eyes fluttered close at the sound of Kaiba speaking in their shared tongue, even if it was to speak words that he didn't want to hear. He could feel himself becoming more aroused with Kaiba's every action and it took an effort for Bakura not to keen with the want he was feeling. "_Never again will you be with me and think of him?_" Bakura murmured as he turned his head to the side enough to gain a glimpse of Kaiba, not minding the bloodshed it caused. "_I like the sounds of that…_"

Kaiba felt a violent urge to wipe the self-satisfied smirk off of Bakura's face, but he knew he couldn't do anything without releasing either the knife or the thief's hand—neither of which were acceptable options. "_Never again will the priest's mistakes be repeated_," Kaiba swore, meaning it with every fiber of his current existence.

Rolling himself over onto his back and ignoring the sound his shoulder made and the flash of pain it caused him to experience, Bakura looked up smugly at Kaiba and loved the look of disgust in those blue eyes as he felt just how excited the violent encounter had made him. "_This was no mistake_," Bakura countered before he sensuously stroked the fragment of Seto's soul, relentlessly caressing it until got a reaction.

There was no way that Kaiba knew how to stop the toe curling pleasure he was forced to feel against his will and he willed his body to resist. The feeling of disgust at Bakura's erection that was all too close for comfort was a strong deterrent, but Kaiba knew he had to do something to get control of the situation and fast. Just as he was about to act, Bakura's hand shot up and fisted tightly in the brunette's hair and he used it as leverage to pull Kaiba's face close to his. "_You can't tell me that you don't feel this_," Bakura murmured before he leaned up and tried to kiss Kaiba.

Making a split second judgment, Kaiba used the hand that was holding the knife to backhand Bakura and slice his arm, causing the thief to hiss in pain, but his smirk only grew broader. "_The only thing I feel is disgust_," Kaiba countered, gritting his teeth when Bakura's reaction to injury was to roll his hips upward against the reincarnated priest's.

"_Let me change that_," Bakura entreated Kaiba, using the soul fragment to take control of Kaiba's movements and force him to lean down closer.

Kaiba felt his body responding against his will and he refused to let Bakura have his way. Interested only in self-preservation, Kaiba lashed out with the knife, fully intending to bury it in Bakura's side even at the cost of Ryou, but he never got the chance. He felt as if his very soul was being embraced and yanked through a fog of shadows that landed them in the Shadow Realm without either one of them moving.

Taking advantage of Kaiba's disorientation, Bakura flipped him over and reversed their positions. Using his legs to pin Kaiba's hips, Bakura held his hands together above his head and utilized the knife in the same threatening manner. "I can't have you harming Ryou that badly over me," Bakura explained, knowing that had Kaiba been successful, his vessel would have died.

"So you sent us to the Shadow Realm?" Kaiba asked incredulously, still trying to orient himself.

"_Welcome home_," Bakura whispered in the ancient language, loving the sight of Kaiba splayed beneath him so beautifully. It made him lean forward and grind his hard length against Kaiba, desperate for a taste of relief.

"I can kill you here and Ryou wouldn't be harmed," Kaiba realized, a plan formulating in his mind as he continued resisting.

When Kaiba tilted his head away to prevent a kiss, Bakura placed it on his bared throat instead. Lightly teething the spot and moaning at Kaiba's angry growl, Bakura continued kissing his way up Kaiba's neck, across his cheek, and down to his chin, explaining in between each one, "That would be correct, but you have no power here, Kaiba."

Acting on instinct, Kaiba lashed out with his anger that took on the form of tendrils of smoke that succeeded in knocking Bakura back and off of him. Standing and commanding the shadows, they wrapped around him and acted like a form fitting black outfit that finally protected him from having to endure Bakura's touch everywhere on his person. Once again resuming a fighting stance, Kaiba felt the shadows gathering at his fingertips and he stared at Bakura with a silent challenge.

To say that Bakura was stunned was a massive understatement and he couldn't help but comment, "When did you learn how to play in the Shadow Realm?"

"That is none of your concern," Kaiba replied, launching himself at Bakura, calling his knife back to him and using the shadows to enlarge it into a sword for a more effective weapon.

Realizing he had severely misjudged Kaiba's abilities in the Shadow Realm, Bakura summoned his Dark Necrofear as a marionette to act as a line of defense. Kaiba sliced through it cleanly, taking great satisfaction in it dissolving into pieces of nothing as he continued his attack on Bakura.

Knowing that he was in a new kind of trouble, Bakura threw out there, "Without me, you're never going to get your boyfriend back into his own body."

"And why would you help me with that?" Kaiba demanded, knowing there had to be a catch.

"Because there's something in it for me," Bakura replied with a wicked grin that gave Kaiba a bad feeling.

"No," Kaiba immediately refused, knowing that it was his task alone to bring Yami back to his rightful form. He wasn't interested in hearing more lies, so he found himself summoning a throwing knife and sending it flying at Bakura with deadly accuracy.

Rather than dodging, Bakura dropped them both out of the Shadow Realm and into the real world, trying not to breathe a sigh of relief at his timing that left him very much alive. There was also the added benefit for Bakura that Kaiba's clothes and weaponry constructed through magical means stayed in the Shadow Realm.

"Coward," Kaiba spat after he realized what Bakura had done.

Shrugging at the label, Bakura was pragmatic enough to know when a retreat was the best course of action. "I have no intentions of being killed by you," Bakura countered, knowing that there had been a disturbingly real chance of that in the Shadow Realm where Kaiba wasn't constrained by the restraints of reality.

The powers that had been so quick to answer his call in the Shadow Realm lay completely dormant now that they had returned and Kaiba found himself biting back a snarl of frustration. There was only one way for him to summon that kind of power now and he knew that the Millennium Puzzle was too far away for that to be practical—not to mention not wanting to alert Yami to what was happening. "I'm not giving you a choice in the matter," Kaiba shot back, "because I _will_ be free of you. At any cost."

When Bakura reached behind him, Kaiba instinctively took a step back, fully expecting a weapon to appear. When he saw that it was the Millennium Rod, Kaiba was stunned as Bakura said with mock disappointment, "You're still being so cruel even when I brought you a gift."

"Where did you get that?" Kaiba asked, feeling something in his soul start to move with a recognition he had felt once before when he had been in the Millennium Item's presence. During their earlier fight, Kaiba saw no indication of the ancient artifact on Bakura's person and he would have noticed it when he had the thief pinned to the floor. The only explanation was that Bakura had been storing it in the Shadow Realm and Kaiba didn't like that answer any more than he did Bakura simply possessing it.

Resting the bulbous part of the Millennium Rod against Kaiba's chest, Bakura smirked at the way it the cold metal against his bare skin caused him to shiver involuntarily. Letting the Millennium Item trail down Kaiba's chest and stop just above the line of his briefs, Bakura answered, "Let's just say that I have my ways…"

Kaiba was at war with himself, because he knew that he most likely needed whatever memories of the priest that were trapped inside of it, but he didn't want to take any help from Bakura; there were too many dangerous strings attached to it. Still, his need for Yami won out over his common sense, even as he tried to find one rational reason to reject the offerings, other than the source of the Millennium Item itself.

"What are your…conditions?" Kaiba found himself asking, the words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth, but he knew better than to ignore the potentially high cost; he wouldn't repeat Seto's mistakes.

Putting the head of the Millennium Rod under Kaiba's chin and slightly tilting his head back with it, Bakura said, "I want you to remember everything so you can stop denying what happened between us back then. But more than that, I want you to remember his betrayal and chose me over him, even after he gets his body back."

"I will _never_ choose you," Kaiba vehemently swore, knowing that never again would his soul accept such a thing.

Taking a step closer to Kaiba and closing the distance between them, Bakura confidently stated, "You may refuse to accept it, but not even you can deny there is something there," as he tugged on the soul fragment within to illustrate his point and remind the reincarnation of the situation they had been in but a few minutes ago. Kaiba's sharp inhalation at the sensation and the slight widening of his eyes excited Bakura and he smirked darkly at the reaction. "I _will _have you for my own once again."

There was an undercurrent of a threat in those words and Kaiba gritted his teeth as he felt that emptiness inside of him being caressed by Bakura. "Never," Kaiba spat, the idea of it revolting him.

Reaching out to touch one of the bruises on Kaiba's shoulder that someone else had left, Bakura said, "There is so much darkness in you, a darkness that someone like him will never understand. You'll never be able to show your true self to him."

When Bakura's fingers started trailing down from his shoulder to his chest, Kaiba swallowed down his disgust as he tried to step away and realized that once again, his soul was being held hostage through the spirit's manipulation. "I sure as hell won't show it to you," Kaiba irritably snapped, trying to figure out how to get out of the situation without the help of the Millennium Puzzle.

"That's because you don't have to," Bakura murmured as he daringly kissed the bruise he had started touching earlier, making Kaiba flinch. "I've seen it, I've _felt_ it."

"You will feel the full wrath of my fury if you don't stop," Kaiba warned, having no loyalty toward Ryou to hinder him.

Rather than intimidating the thief, it made him moan wantonly as his body automatically reacted with a strong surge of desire that returned tenfold from earlier. "You should know by now that's only going to serve as an incentive," Bakura purred as he used his free hand to trail down Kaiba's side, causing the brunette to fume in his frustration at not being able to get away from the wandering touch. "It always hurts so good when you lose control, Seto…"

"I'm. Not. _Him_!" Kaiba yelled as he felt a deep fury inside of him trying to lash out at the invisible restraints.

"And that's what makes this so interesting, _Kaiba_," Bakura replied with a laugh, sadistically loving the challenge of it.

Once again, the sentiment behind the words sent a unique fear through him at the thought it was himself and not the priest's soul the thief was after. "Release me and I'll show you what's interesting," Kaiba threatened, knowing that he would find a way to punish Bakura in a way that the thief wouldn't enjoy.

Smirking perversely, Bakura replied, "As sexy as that sounds, I'm not falling for that."

"There is no honor in this," Kaiba argued, knowing that Bakura was a prideful creature.

"And what use does a thief have for honor?" Bakura taunted with a cruel laugh that set Kaiba on edge. "All I need is you."

The open confession bothered Kaiba and he growled when Bakura caressed his cheek with the head of the Millennium Rod. "You are bound to me," Bakura reminded Kaiba, "and that will prevent you from hurting me without injuring yourself."

"Then I will free myself of you," Kaiba said, willing to do almost anything to be free from the thief.

Kissing the base of Kaiba's neck before licking his way up to an ear, Bakura held the Millennium Rod's handle threateningly against his throat as he whispered, "If you can't escape my touch, what makes you think you can escape from my grasps?" Following it up with a lingering trail of kisses back down to Kaiba's collarbone, Bakura could only chuckle at the tension he felt in the reincarnated priest's body. Gripping Kaiba's hips tightly with both hands and not caring that the cold metal artifact was digging into the skin, Bakura looked up knowingly at his prey and loved the barely concealed look of fear that he knew was almost impossible for anyone else to inspire. "What makes you think I'll ever let you go again?"

Kaiba was appalled by the feeling of Bakura's rigid excitement that was pressing against him once again as the thief gently rocked his hips. "I'll cut off your hands before I ever let that happen," Kaiba warned, searching deep inside of his soul and pushing at the empty spot in the hopes that it might have an effect of any kind. He felt a little give, but it wasn't enough to create the distance he so desperately needed. Mentally shoving at it as hard as he could figure out how to, Kaiba felt something fracture and they were physically forced apart as Bakura made a stifled noise of pain.

As much as Kaiba wanted to relish in his success, he knew better than to waste time. Creating more distance between them, Kaiba started backing his way toward his desk where there was a silent signal button that would summon his security. At this point, Kaiba just wanted out of the situation that was even worse because of his current state of undress.

"So did Seto teach you that little trick or did your pharaoh?" Bakura asked as he took two steps toward Kaiba for every one that he brunette took.

The concept of Seto being able to teach him anything when it was his soul was an odd one, but Kaiba wasn't going to give Bakura the satisfaction of questioning it. "You won't be able to do that anymore," Kaiba swore, grateful that he was only a few steps from his desk.

Taking control of the soul fragment to stop Kaiba midstep just to prove a point, Bakura pointed out, "Don't get so cocky until you fully master that technique, Kaiba. You still have so much to learn from Seto…so many _techniques_."

The sexual implications were implied in Bakura's tone and Kaiba fought against the invisible hold with no reaction. "Oh yeah, like what?" Kaiba challenged, trying to buy some time since he knew that Bakura would expounded upon it—even if it was something that Kaiba would never be willing to accept.

Holding out the Millennium Rod and gesturing with it, Bakura challenged, "Why don't you find out for yourself straight from the source?"

As Bakura extended the Millennium Rod for him to take, Kaiba could only swear silently in his mind as he tried to think of something—of _anything_ that might be a viable alternative to the present option, but there was nothing. Much like the Millennium Puzzle had held important memories for Kaiba to know in order to bring Yami back successfully, he was confident that the Millennium Rod that Seto had wielded as Head Priest would prove invaluable. It still didn't make it any easier, though.

"I'm not doing this for you," Kaiba clarified, his hands reacted with more confidence than he felt. Mentally bracing himself for whatever might happen, Kaiba reached out for the ancient artifact and took it into his own hands.

He had half expected to be instantly overcome with visions, but instead there was only the faintest sensation in the back of his mind, a feeling that there was something more he was supposed to do with it. The fact that Bakura was watching him expectantly didn't help, nor did it help put him at ease. Kaiba could tell that Bakura was waiting for something to happen, but he was clueless what to do about the weird current he was experiencing.

Crossing his arms and tilting his head as he studied Kaiba, Bakura arrogantly offered, "Need some help?"

"_No_," Kaiba hissed venomously, instantly becoming indignant out of habit.

Bakura wasn't exactly sure what he was hoping for by giving the Millennium Rod back to Kaiba. He had wondered if it would perhaps set him free from Ryou's body and gift him with one of his own, or if it would be anticlimactic as it appeared to be currently. Deciding that it never hurt to push things along, Bakura concentrated on the part of Seto's soul that kept him sealed inside of the Millennium Ring and subtly manipulated it to try and trigger the Millennium Rod into responding.

Unaware of Bakura's interference, Kaiba gritted his teeth as he felt his entire essence respond to the Millennium Rod's activation. He struggled against it, knowing that now was not the time to be distracted on such a level with Bakura present, but it was proving decidedly difficult as a barrage of unrelated memories flashed through his mind at a nearly impossible speed.

Bakura caught the faintest trace of what was being related and it irritated him that it seemed that everything was still centered on the pharaoh. Slowly approaching Kaiba once more, Bakura smirked as he watched the other fight against what was happening. The sadist in him appreciated it, but he was captivated by the appearance of the glowing third eye on Kaiba's forehead. It reminded him of so many different things and he couldn't resist the urge to reach out and trace the design.

The sensation cut straight through Kaiba and brought him back to the present moment, although there was still a constant stream of information processing in the background. He involuntarily shuddered at the feeling he was used to having from Yami and Kaiba tried to back away only to discover that he couldn't. "Why are you doing this?" Kaiba demanded in a terse voice, his grip tightening on the Millennium Rod. It was so tempting to drop the damn thing and see if that would stop the onslaught of memories, but Kaiba knew that he needed to know more in order to help save Yami.

There were countless reasons why Bakura had decided to take such extreme actions, but even he was at a loss to completely understand his motivations. Instead of letting it trouble him, Bakura let his hand trace down the side of Kaiba's face to cup his cheek in the gentlest of caresses and force their gazes to meet. "So that you'll remember," Bakura told him, knowing that was more important than anything else.

Kaiba wanted to protest, wanted to slap the offensive hand away from him, but he didn't have the energy to expend on such actions. It was taking every ounce of self-control and willpower he had to remain in the present moment, but the past was clamoring to claim him in the deluge of distant memories.

Pressing closer to the paralyzed teen, Bakura whispered a simple command to Kaiba, "_Remember_, Seto."

It sent him further back into the memories, only there were fewer glimpses of the pharaoh and increasing amounts of interactions with the thief. "No!" Kaiba protested, desperate to return to the glimpses of the former ruler. The more he tried to resist, the harder it became to control the present—not that Kaiba completely understood that fact.

Even though Bakura knew that Kaiba wouldn't react well to the later memories, it was still strangely painful to see the reincarnation so adamantly opposed to him. Idly wondering if the high cost would be worth the relatively simple pleasure, Bakura embraced Kaiba as he had been longing to do for some time. Sighing softly as he threaded his fingers through Kaiba's chestnut hair, Bakura enjoyed the feeling of the strands despite them being slightly dampened from the perspiration of his active resistance. The feeling of Kaiba's bare skin under his fingertips was damn near divine and Bakura let his other hand trail down the reincarnated priest's back, loving the feeling of slick sweat that made him think of sex under the summer sun in Egypt.

The gentle action triggered a matching memory and it felt all the more real as a result of the present imitating the past between the priest and the thief. Kaiba could only whisper, "Stop," at the memories, at the priest for moving in such a dangerous direction. When his knees buckled, Bakura bore the extra burden of Kaiba's weight to support him and held him that much closer.

Kaiba was beyond horrified when he observed the first time the relationship between the priest and the thief escalated. Even though he had known from previous visions that Seto had been weak willed enough to give in to the thief previously, this was a whole different level of detail that made it all the more worse. Kaiba didn't want to see any more, didn't want to know what happened next and he tried to pull out of the memories without much success. There was no reason for it, nothing in the interactions with the thief that would lead to Yami gaining his body back, so Kaiba tried to get back on track, back to the memories that he needed.

The anguished whisper of, "_No_," that escaped from Kaiba alerted Bakura about the direction things had taken. He affectionately nuzzled Kaiba as if that would somehow help calm him down in the present, but it had no effect. Instead Bakura remained still and tried not to feel the burn of rejection with every denial uttered by Kaiba.

When the exchanges moved from innuendo to action, Kaiba finally had enough. Letting the Millennium Rod slip from his hand, he was disoriented by the return to the present and the fading images that would haunt him for some time to come. "_Why_?" Kaiba questioned mournfully, unable to process it all.

"Because he never could," Bakura answered cryptically, stroking Kaiba's hair as if to soothe him. The pharaoh's failings had allowed Bakura to usurp the position of the priest's lover, but he knew that he had never managed to fully steal Seto's heart for his own. Bakura wasn't even sure if that was his goal this time around; the present had confused his past intentions.

There was a reply that was left unsaid as Kaiba finally succumbed to the darkness and collapsed, saved from hitting the ground only because of Bakura. Grateful that Ryou's body was stronger than it appeared, Bakura awkwardly carried Kaiba the short distance to the bed and carefully placed him onto it. He returned to pick up the Millennium Rod from where it had been dropped, but the hum of power was already gone.

Setting the ancient artifact next to Kaiba, Bakura carefully observed him for any signs of consciousness. He suspected that it would be awhile before Kaiba awoke and it was only because of that reason that Bakura lingered a little longer. Bakura knew that Yami would have felt the Millennium Rod activating and he did not want to be around for that confrontation; ever since he had returned to the Puzzle, he had been increasingly difficult to deal with because of the strengthening powers it leant him.

Tenderly brushing the back of his fingers against Kaiba's cheek, Bakura allowed himself to indulge in a rare moment of sentimentalism for the relationship he had once had with Seto in the past. What had started out as getting revenge against the pharaoh had become so much more and he could only shake his head over the fact that they were once again repeating the same mistakes in a second lifetime.

There was the slightest feeling of disappointment that his gamble for a body hadn't paid off yet, but Bakura knew there were other opportunities; Kaiba still had much to remember. He could still feel the piece of Seto's soul residing in the Millennium Ring and he couldn't help but be smug over the fact that he possessed a part of the priest that Yami never would. _At least I have that much_, Bakura consoled himself as he pulled away.

Even though he knew that Yami would undoubtedly be on his way over, Bakura knew that it would take some time for the pharaoh to come rushing in to save the day. It was for that reason that Bakura caved to his darker desires and straddled himself over Kaiba's hips on the bed. Kaiba was just as beautiful to Bakura, albeit in a different way from Seto. Although Kaiba was fairer skinned, his soul had darkened considerably in this lifetime over the last—perhaps even because of the last.

Unable to resist, Bakura reached out and once again touched the bruises that marred Kaiba's skin and he frowned at the ugliness of it. He had seen firsthand what a skilled fighter Kaiba was and it was disturbing to realize there was someone out there who could hurt him so badly—especially when Bakura hadn't even been able to land a single punch of his own despite being a decent brawler.

Running his fingers lightly along Kaiba's torso, Bakura smirked slightly when his slumbering body responded to the touch. It made Bakura want to do so many other things to Kaiba, but there was no challenge in violating him when he was essentially defenseless because of the power surges he had experienced.

Bracing himself on the bed with his hands on either side of Kaiba's head, Bakura studied him from a rare angle. Even in sleep, Kaiba's eyebrows were furrowed as if he were trying to fight his way to consciousness, his breathing erratic from the exertion. He thrilled at being over Kaiba in such a manner once again, but even Bakura felt the wrongness of it without those fiery eyes staring him down and that talented mouth cursing him.

Still, it was too tempting for the thief, so he leaned down and kissed Kaiba's fluttering pulse point, savoring the taste. It had been so long and yet it was going to be longer still. When Bakura went in for a kiss of those sinful lips, Kaiba groaned and tilted his head away, causing the thief to chuckle despite himself. "Even in sleep you still resist me," Bakura murmured as he ran his thumb along Kaiba's lush lips that brought back so many ancient memories. Although there was a part of Bakura that wanted to kiss him as punishment for resistance, there was no point if Kaiba wasn't awake and aware that it was happening. He wanted to taste that bitter rage blend into indignant acceptance, wanted to see those beautiful blue eyes outraged and lust filled.

As tempting as it was to steal a kiss, Bakura didn't want it under those circumstances anymore. Instead, Bakura leaned forward and kissed the place where Kaiba's third eye would appear when his powers came flaring to life. Only then did he whisper into Kaiba's ear, "You've kept me waiting long enough, _Imi-ib_," and he was surprised at the moan that resulted.

Caressing Kaiba's cheek when he sat up, Bakura questioned, "Hasn't it been long enough?"

There was no response and Bakura knew that he had lingered longer than was probably acceptable. With a final longing look and loving caress, Bakura finally got off of Kaiba and started to make his escape before Yami arrived.

* * *

**A/N:** This is one of those chapters that sort of ran wild, but I liked it a bit better for doing so. Hopefully you enjoyed the longer chapter as well!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Frowning at the response, Yami countered, "I know that you're not lying to me, but you're also not telling the whole truth, Seto."_

Next chapter will be up **Sunday, August 22nd**, so until then, take care and let me know what you think!


	32. Chapter 32: Concerns

**Chapter 32: Concerns**

After the third unsuccessful attempt at deactivating the lock on Kaiba's bedroom, Yami started pounding on the door loudly as he shouted, "Seto!" His fears multiplied when there was no answer and Yami was already trying to figure out an alternative plan when he heard a different door open.

Mokuba had heard the commotion from his own room and decided to investigate it. He was unsurprised to see Yami there, but it was still so strange for Mokuba to see him as Yuugi once more. "Yami?"

Turning toward the approaching teen, Yami nodded as he tried to calm himself so that he wouldn't worry Mokuba. It was hard to hide the fact that his hands were trembling, but Yami crossed his arms and hoped for the best as he explained, "I need to talk to Seto, but…"

"He's probably in the shower," Mokuba guessed, trying to think of a reason why his older brother hadn't opened the door himself. Keying in his own personal code to let Yami in, Mokuba smiled reassuring at the spirit. "The lock probably wasn't recognizing your—uh, I mean Yuugi's fingerprints."

It was just another reminder of his situation and it pained Yami. Instead of expressing that, Yami merely thanked Mokuba before stepping inside of the room and letting the door shut behind him. Only when he was certain that Mokuba had left did Yami enter further into the room.

Kaiba wasn't at his desk, too busy to bother turning on his lights like Yami had expected. Instead, Kaiba was curled up on the bed like a small child and it only worried Yami further, especially since he was wearing nothing but his briefs as he slept on top of the covers. He hurried over to the bed, ready to shake Kaiba awake if necessary. Normally Yami would have let Kaiba sleep since he obviously needed it, but this time was different. Yami wanted answers about Bakura and it couldn't wait.

Yami faltered when he saw a glint of gold in the darkness and he felt his breath catch in disbelief when he realized what it was. Calling out Kaiba's name repeatedly failed to stir him, so Yami shoved at him with a sense of urgency.

Acting on instinct before fully awake, Kaiba had pinned Yami down and had the hidden sword of the Millennium Rod against his neck before realizing his identity. "Yami?" Kaiba asked in a strained voice as he squinted to try and see better in the darkness.

"Yeah," Yami confirmed softly, even though his mind was filled with a noisy clamor of questions. "Seto?"

Sheathing the weapon with a grunt of acknowledgement, Kaiba moved aside slightly and tried to stop feeling so dizzy. He still felt disturbingly weak, but that wasn't his immediate problem.

Remaining still, Yami asked, "What happened?"

Refusing to answer the question, Kaiba countered with a faint, "Why are you here?" It sounded wearier than he had meant it to, but Kaiba was struggling enough as it was to remain conscious and upright; anything else was secondary.

"Because I know that Bakura was here," Yami answered, staring unwaveringly at Kaiba.

It wasn't a conversation that Kaiba felt up to having in his present weakened state; there was still too much to process. "So you came rushing over to save the day?" Kaiba asked sarcastically.

Ignoring the comment, Yami repeated, "What happened?"

"I don't need your help," Kaiba muttered as he tried to blink back the darkness that was starting to dim his vision. "I can handle him by myself."

"That's not the point!" Yami quietly exclaimed, mindful to keep his voice down because of Mokuba.

"Then what's your concern?" Kaiba asked coldly, wincing when Yami sat up and turned on the side lamp.

Carefully looking over Kaiba to assess any signs of harm, Yami told him, "My concern is what happened."

"Not necessary," Kaiba replied automatically, his mind still too exhausted to properly understand the ramifications of what he had seen in those chaotic flashes of memories from the Millennium Rod.

Doing his best to clamp down on his frustration, Yami retorted, "So Bakura suddenly decides to become kind enough to just give you the Millennium Rod and I'm not supposed to be concerned about his motives?"

"Do what you want," Kaiba muttered wearily, the strength lent to him by the rush of adrenaline fading fast. He flinched away from Yami's touch, unable to accept the contact from Yuugi's hand after what had happened with Bakura. "_Don't_."

"No," Yami refused vehemently, "not until you tell me what happened."

All Kaiba wanted to do was lay back down again and sleep, something that was becoming increasingly difficult to resist. "I can't do this right now," Kaiba whispered, hating the weakness in that admission. His grip on the ancient artifact tightened in his displeasure, but Kaiba was unaware of his actions.

Embracing Kaiba despite the awkwardness of his shared body, Yami tried not to get upset over how tense it caused the other to become. "Seto…"

The plaintive tone normally caused Kaiba to feel something akin to guilt, but the wounded tone of Yuugi's voice made it even worse. He wanted to wrap his arms around Yami and hold him tight, wanted to pretend for one moment that everything was okay once again, but Kaiba couldn't do that. Nothing was okay and Kaiba was starting to wonder if it ever would be again.

"No," Kaiba sighed, shutting his eyes to try and stave off the darkness that was trying to claim him once more. For the briefest moment, Kaiba was tempted to give in—anything to circumvent the current line of questioning—but habit won out and he continued struggling against himself.

Pulling back a little and grateful that Kaiba hadn't completely rejected his touch, Yami requested, "Seto, look at me."

Taking great care to compose his expression before complying, Kaiba's gaze was completely void of any emotion when he finally looked into those amethyst eyes that made him feel a different kind of pain. "What?" he asked flatly, further irritating Yami.

"Why won't you tell me?" Yami demanded, his frustration once again making itself known in his tone.

"Why are you making such a big deal over it?" Kaiba countered, even though the answer was obvious to them both.

Staring incredulously at Kaiba, Yami asked, "Seriously, Seto, what's going on?"

"For starters, you're making my headache worse," Kaiba answered flippantly and he almost felt bad for saying such a thing. He logically knew that Yami was concerned—and rightfully so—but Kaiba wasn't up to talking about anything yet.

"Please just tell me," Yami requested, looking at Kaiba pleadingly. "I need to know that whatever I'm imagining didn't happen."

It was an odd comment and Kaiba asked, "And what do you think happened?"

"You're in bed in nothing but your briefs and the Millennium Rod and you have to ask me what I think happened?" Yami harshly demanded, his cheeks flushing with the color of his indignation. "Considering what he's done to you at school and you were alone here…"

Not liking the reminder, Kaiba looked away and tried to fight against the bile rising up in his throat. Realizing that he had been holding onto the Millennium Rod the entire time, Kaiba finally released the heavy artifact onto the sheets. "I took care of myself," Kaiba said quietly, knowing that he was probably going to get a ration of shit from Jounouchi about Ryou's appearance the next day at school.

"What does that mean?" Yami pressed, knowing what happened the last time Kaiba had defended himself against Bakura.

"I won't let him do as he pleases," Kaiba venomously swore, although there was a fear over what had happened when Bakura was left alone with his unconscious body. He didn't feel as if he had been taken advantage of in his sleep, but his last memory was standing in front of Bakura; Kaiba didn't want to think about how he got over to the bed.

"What did you do?" Yami asked, refusing to back down from the issue.

"He'll live," Kaiba answered, although the unsaid, "unfortunately," part resonated between them clearly. "The mutt will have plenty to bark about, but—"

"He'll _live_?" Yami exclaimed in disbelief, wondering what exactly had happened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Laying back down and holding in a groan at the action, Kaiba bitterly explained, "I've done worse to Ogata."

Looking at the evidence marring Kaiba's body from the last fight he had engaged with Ogata, it was a troubling fact for Yami. "Is Ryou going to end up in the hospital again?" Yami finally forced himself to ask, the dread clear in his voice.

"Not for anything I did," Kaiba answered, although he was fairly certain that Bakura had dislocated his shoulder when he rolled over onto his back.

Rubbing his forehead as he tried to stay patient, Yami asked, "You're saying that Bakura hurt himself in the fight?"

"I'm saying that's a possibility," Kaiba confirmed, although it probably didn't help things much. "It will probably look worse than it is."

"What did he do to—?" Yami started to ask before Kaiba interrupted.

"You seriously have to ask me what he did after he broke into my home—into my _room_—to deserve that?" Kaiba snapped, the fact that Bakura was able to do so still a major point of contention for him. Once he recovered, he was going to have a talk with his security team and find out what else could be done to secure the premises; he never wanted to be caught off-guard like that again.

"I just want to know the truth," Yami quietly replied, hoping that his calmness would prevent Kaiba's agitation from becoming too much.

Still not willing to confess the full extent of the disturbing events, Kaiba said, "I haven't lied to you."

Frowning at the response, Yami countered, "I know that you're not lying to me, but you're also not telling the whole truth, Seto."

The point rendered Kaiba silent and he stared up at his ceiling as he tried to formulate a response, but his mind was too much of a murky mess to be of any use for such complex things. "What do you want, a transcript?" Kaiba sarcastically asked, still dodging the issue. "He said some bullshit, I kicked his ass, he took it to the Shadow Realm, and then we came back here and he gave me the Millennium Rod."

When Kaiba didn't say anything further, Yami prompted, "And then what?"

"He left."

"He just…left," Yami said, his tone conveying his disbelief.

"Yes," Kaiba confirmed, hoping that was the extent of it and yet fearing that it wasn't.

"I find that really hard to believe," Yami told Kaiba; they both knew Bakura too well to know that he would just leave things at that.

Shrugging and shutting his eyes, Kaiba tiredly said, "Then that's not my problem."

Reaching over and brushing Kaiba's bangs from his face, Yami persisted, "Just tell me why."

"Apparently there's something in it for him," Kaiba replied after thinking it over for a moment. "What that something is, I don't know."

"It just doesn't make any sense," Yami said with a frown, not liking the situation one bit, especially since he couldn't offer Kaiba the types of comfort that he normally could.

"He probably thinks it will result in him also gaining a body," Kaiba guessed, knowing that was really the only thing that Bakura was interested in obtaining.

Yami could see where Bakura might come up with such a conclusion, but it still didn't sit well with him. "Do you think that it will?" Yami questioned, hoping that it wouldn't happen. Bakura was bad enough when he was in Ryou's body; given free rein in his own body and things would never be the same again

"Since I don't intend to have him present for the ceremony, I doubt it," Kaiba said with a yawn, starting to feel the lull of sleep pulling at him. "Whatever, I don't mind benefiting from his misassumption."

It still didn't sit well with Yami and he reached out and touched the eye design on the Millennium Rod as he reflected on the options. "It just feels dangerous to accept it," Yami finally decided. It would have been one thing if Isis had given it to them since her brother was the keeper, but with Bakura as the middleman, it was just too suspicious.

"I said I'd get you back at any cost," Kaiba reminded Yami, opening his eyes and tilting his head to the side to look at him.

"Yes, but accepting help from Bakura…" Yami protested, unable to finish the thought because of the all the potential horrors that could be attached to it.

"Even if this results in him getting his own body," Kaiba swore, "I would still do this. Getting you back is my only priority."

"He would be a danger to everyone with his own body and free use of his powers," Yami warned, although he knew that Bakura was a threat regardless of what form he took.

Smirking viciously, Kaiba said, "Only until I got my hands on him. Then I could get rid of him once and for all and not have to hear a single yip from the mutt about it."

"Would you kill him?" Yami asked, knowing that Kaiba was more than capable of such a thing and uncomfortable with it all the same.

"Would you care?" Kaiba countered, knowing that his past was stained with more blood than the names of the victims he could recall.

Even though Yami knew that Bakura would more than deserve it, he didn't feel comfortable with condoning murder. "There are other ways to deal with him," Yami diplomatically commented.

"But none as satisfying as that," Kaiba muttered, wishing that he could be rid of the thief once and for all.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened today?" Yami asked, the response concerning him.

"I told you everything you need to know," Kaiba coldly replied, wishing that Yami would drop it and yet knowing why he wouldn't

"You didn't tell me why he sent you to the Shadow Realm," Yami countered, although he could imagine quite a few reasons why Bakura would do so.

Kaiba wondered if answering Yami's question would earn him some peace and quiet, so he gave in and replied, "Because he needed a place where he thought he could have the advantage. He was losing the fight here, so he moved us there."

"And then back here again."

Grinning viciously, Kaiba said with arrogant pride, "I don't care what realm it is, I can defeat him in any fight and he knows it."

Sincerely wishing that was the only reason and knowing that it realistically wasn't, Yami looked down at Kaiba with growing concern. Something was off, but he couldn't tell what. "The fight wasn't just about him breaking into your room," Yami said, knowing that level of aggression had to be over more than just that.

"He doesn't know when to shut his damn mouth," Kaiba said, giving Yami a not so subtle look.

"Or how to keep his hands to himself," Yami added, remembering the vision that Yuugi had shown him months ago of the encounter between Kaiba and Bakura outside of the classroom that had left Jounouchi and Ryou temporarily mute.

It reminded Kaiba of how much he wanted to shower and wash away Bakura's touch, but he knew that he didn't have the energy for such a thing yet. "He's living," Kaiba said, although it angered him, "that should be proof enough."

"It doesn't mean he didn't—"

"Yami," Kaiba firmly interrupted him, not wanting to hear or confront the matter, "I'm fine, so drop it."

Biting his lower lip, Yami wished that he could believe that, but he knew Bakura too well to accept it. "Now what?" Yami decided to ask, figuring that the future was safer to question than the past.

"I'm going to get some more sleep and then I'll try to access the priest's memories in the Millennium Stick," Kaiba answered with another yawn as he made himself more comfortable.

Unable to hold back a snicker, Yami corrected him, "Millennium Rod," but couldn't help but be amused by Kaiba's alternative name.

"Rod, stick, whatever—it's still phallic," Kaiba retorted as his eyes closed against his will.

The moment of levity passed quickly for Yami and he told Kaiba with some regret, "I can't stay. Aibou has to be somewhere at—"

"I'll be fine," Kaiba reassured him, somewhat grateful; he knew Yami would be tempted to sleep by his side otherwise and he really didn't want to wake up next to Yuugi's face.

Leaning down and resting his forehead against Kaiba's where their Millennium Eyes would have connected, Yami said, "I'll try to stop by later."

"Mm," Kaiba agreed, already feeling himself start to drift.

It was hard to walk away from Kaiba, but Yami forced himself to do so, knowing that Yuugi had other things to take care of; he wasn't going to make his aibou cancel his plans. Even though Yami couldn't help but feel otherwise, Kaiba did appear fine. There were no more bruises than the ones left by Ogata and Kaiba wasn't as skittish as he had been after past encounters with Bakura. Taking a deep breath and forcing himself to walk away, Yami left and shut the door with a quiet click before heading down to Mokuba's room to ask him to lock Kaiba's door and to offer some sort of excuse for his earlier reaction.

* * *

**A/N:** Not much to add to this one. Only thing I wanted to say is that I'm still working on **Truthful Lies, Chapter 2**. It's not finished, but it is in progress for those of you who are still interested in it!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_On the riverbanks of the Nile, Seto stared into the depths of the waters and saw himself reflected, saw reflections of himself._

Thanks for all of the encouragement in the reviews! It seriously makes a world of difference, thanks! Next chapter will be posted on **Sunday, August 28th**.


	33. Chapter 33: Reflecting

**Chapter 33: Reflecting**

_There was a darkness consuming him, imbuing him, defining and defying him. The shadows of his soul offered the icy warmth of a fiery frozen embrace. Clawing his way through, trying to break free, for where there was ice there was water and where there was water there was life. _

_The shadows of white diffused through the light of blue and Kaiba felt himself drowning as he rose. Suddenly there was a hand pulling him upward, and water became sky and clouds became land as he was pulled from the void into the world._

_On the riverbanks of the Nile, Seto stared into the depths of the waters and saw himself reflected, saw reflections of himself. There were ripples of malcontent under the water and Seto reached into the depths of himself, searching for the source. Coming into contact with a fragile strength, Seto embraced it as his own, knew it to be his own, and so he pulled up, pulled back, and watched his own emergence from the depths of the liquid life of a hidden hell. _

_Memories bled through fingertips and reflections danced in palms as thoughts passed through their veins while the wind whispered secrets of lives once lived and lives yet lived, a shared soul united through intertwined fingers that reached through eternity with a singular goal. _

_Blue met blue as shadows do with light, evaluating and calculating, probing with a curious indifference born from a deep suppression of desires. Face to face as their hands embraced, Seto came to know himself and knew there to be more lurking in the depths he so often hid within himself. _

_As Kaiba glared in hatred at his darker half, Seto marveled at his light, wondering if the impurities of his own soul had been blanched out from his very skin. Kaiba only saw the sins burned into flesh, the accusations of the sun's rays on the priest who had turned his back on the Son of Ra for something even the most magnanimous of gods could not forgive. _

_Ancient antagonism burned the future flames of resentment and yet it was only the chanting incantation that shattered the silence and peace alike, no curse powerful enough to override what was happening as Kaiba was forced to meet his old soul and learn the lying truths that had been distorted with the ages of denial. _

_Being absorbed within himself, reabsorbed within the emptiness of his once and future self, Seto became both and none, all and nothing as they blended blues and repainted the lies the color of the watery sky._

_The darkness in the light, the light in the darkness, it had a name, a single name that sounded like wind over the sands of time, nothing more than a half-remembered, entirely-forgotten memory of a name muttered in curses of the sun, moaned in the heights of the night, worshiped by all, but loved by one. The name betrayed freedom and spoke of an unredeemable redemption from ancient agonies of self-infliction of sacred sacrifice. _

_Kaiba named it as Yami and embraced the Darkness within the protection of all of his ability, but Seto rejected the name as his soul sought the truth in memory of the future he had lived to see through at the cost of repercussions. The long lingering guilt and grief over the shattered spirit of a strong soul remained and in that they were united over the regret of a price too high to pay. _

_A flood of memories rushed through Kaiba and he lived a forgotten life as if it were his own, unable to escape the minutia of detail of Seto's life once lived. He felt himself being defined, refined through the insights, learning more than he ever needed to know as direct access downloaded straight through him at an alarming speed of insight. In that moment, Kaiba lived an entirety of another life as he relearned love and loss in a single instant that spanned a lifetime of regret and appreciation. It was intense, immense, and more adjectives than the language had and it was almost more than Kaiba could stand as he gained the wisdom and regrets of his ancient self in their entirety. _

_But there was still an emptiness, a deep and painful gouge of nothingness that neither soul could fill, that neither soul could escape. There was a sorrowful relief and an ashamed joy as Seto discovered it and Kaiba defined himself through the revulsion over the priest's fondness for the impurest of albinos that had tried to ruin them all and met with success once. _

_Attacking the hole in the heart of his other half, Kaiba regained himself through the action using the ancient abilities to carry out his present intentions, proof that he was almost complete. The future anger held more power than ancient remorse ever could and Kaiba wielded it as a cruel weapon, wanting to repay the priest for all the suffering he had endured. _

"_It's your fault—your _weakness_—that has us in this mess!" Kaiba accused the priest, speaking the words with a fury that would have transcended any language. With a borrowed instinct, Kaiba tried to break the emptiness apart, wanting to shatter it with his very being in order to destroy what was left of the priest and his darkest desires. _

"_It is not your place to judge," Seto warned as he resisted the assault and lashed out at his insolent reincarnation with punishing bonds of the Underworld, darker than any part of the Shadow Realm. _

"_I have to live with your mistakes," Kaiba growled as he tried to deflect Seto's stronger powers that were quickly overtaking his fledgling abilities. "We're past the point of mere _judgment_."_

"_In condemning me, you condemn yourself," Seto warned as he held out his hand and absorbed the energy attack that Kaiba was trying to learn how to use. "Do not think you can escape him anymore than I."_

_The implication infuriated Kaiba and he spat, "I would rather see him dead than turn into you." _

"_He is our eternal punishment," Seto counseled as he approached his reincarnation once more. "We can part from him no easier than with our pharaoh."_

"_Watch me," Kaiba challenged as he threw a punch at Seto's face that was gracefully dodged. "I will stop at nothing to get rid of him!"_

_Speaking with the wisdom of harsh experience, Seto warned, "Even if you escape his physical presence, you cannot banish him. He is the blemish on our heart, the shadows in our mind, he is with us always—"_

"_I refuse to believe that," Kaiba growled, not willing to accept that he was forever tied with Bakura. "I have nothing but disgust—"_

_Kaiba was startled from his words when he suddenly was confront with Seto embracing him with one arm around the waist and using his other hand to caress the side of his throat. "You deny what you know to be true," Seto mused as he forced Kaiba to look at him. "We hate him as much as we love our pharaoh." _

_There was something ominous in what Seto said and Kaiba demanded, "What does that have anything to do with it?"_

"_Because hate is nothing more than the twisted bitterness of a powerfully dark love," Seto murmured as he rested his temple against Kaiba's and experienced the softest whispers of witness. "You've felt our soul burn for him and yet—"_

"_There is no one except for Yami," Kaiba stubbornly refuted as he tried to force back Seto and failed. _

"_And yet you have felt the pleasure from both of having our very essence caressed," Seto countered as he masterfully manipulated his soul in Kaiba for the same effect. _

_Kaiba was caught so far off-guard that he couldn't hold back the moan wrenched from him as he shuddered with an aroused awareness that neither of the other spirits had managed to produce so clearly. It was horrifying and Kaiba's first warning disappeared as Seto touched on something new and deep inside of him that had he been awake would have made him climax with no other stimulation. _

_Seto acted out of neither malice nor interest in anything other than illustrating his point to Kaiba. However, he couldn't let go of his discovery and Seto rested his forehead against Kaiba's and fell deeper into his reincarnation. "Perhaps there is some truth in your protests after all," Seto murmured as he continued brushing against the same place in Kaiba's soul with fascinated curiosity._

_There was no response that Kaiba could manage as his entire existence was consumed by the sensation of the deepest pleasure he had ever felt. Seto's soul was moving against his in a way he had never felt before, making Kaiba feels as if he was whole and yet not, but it was almost paralyzing in its perfection. He wanted to ask what Seto meant, but the thought couldn't last in face of the onslaught of feeling. _

"_You love our pharaoh so purely," Seto whispered in a bittersweet sadness with a final caress before he withdrew enough to allow Kaiba to think clearly once more. _

"_Huh?" Kaiba grunted, words beyond his capability as he was still reeling from the experience and feeling almost painfully hollow in the aftermath. _

"_We have lived such different lives," Seto started to explain as he reached out to trace the contours of Kaiba's face. "There is truly no place in your heart for the thief."_

But what about in my soul?_ was what Kaiba wanted to ask, but he could not voice such a horrible thing out loud. There was a fear that if he reclaimed Seto's soul from Bakura something could shift within him—but not by choice. _

"_The love of a father figure, the adoration of a brother, the warmth of your friends, and the unwavering devotion of our pharaoh," Seto listed, confusing Kaiba. "You have freedoms I never could have imagined."_

"_What does that have to do with what you did?" Kaiba demanded, but he still felt breathless from Seto's previous actions._

"_I intended to show you where the thief hides," Seto replied, "but you remain free of his traps."_

"_Then…?" Kaiba prompted, still confused._

"_That was the depths of your feelings for our pharaoh," Seto answered, causing Kaiba to scoff a little at the sentimentalism of it. "I am envious."_

_Rather than commenting directly on his feelings toward Yami, Kaiba said, "I told you I have nothing but disgust for Bakura."_

"_Nor does it seem that you have to contend with a wife or any other encumbrances of position," Seto added, the sadness returning to his voice. _

_Figuring it was his only chance to learn, Kaiba asked, "Did Nefersherit reincarnate?"_

"_The gods kept her for their own," Seto said, knowing that she had successfully transcended in a way his marred soul had been unable to. "I suspect she had guided our fate ever since."_

_Whereas that once would have angered Kaiba into active denial, he wasn't nearly as bothered by the thought since he had seen her in the flashbacks and inherited memories. He didn't believe it since he doubted someone such as her would have condemned him to something as horrible as life with Gozaburo or let Bakura anywhere near them, but neither was he offended by the thought of her. Likewise, he was grateful that he didn't have to content with her in the present world. _

_Sighing softly, Seto couldn't help but comment to himself, "So there is hope for us yet. May you have the strength to break the chains of fate that tie us to that incorrigible thief."_

_It seemed like an odd jump in the conversation and just when Kaiba was about to ask, Seto warned, "He comes for you."_

_Kaiba wasn't given the chance to question any further and he was startled by Seto slowly disappearing into smoke, finding a way to merge their existences. The sensation of Seto entering him was an odd one and Kaiba shivered as he felt the spirit settle inside of his soul and in the depths of his mind. _

_Left alone on the riverbed of the Nile, Kaiba stared into the waters and saw Seto reflected within himself. It was a disquieting sensation to feel the priest surging inside of him as he finished melding himself back into his rightful place, but Kaiba endured it and stared at the Nile until it reflected nothing but his true self. His heart and the waters calmed at the same time and there was nothing left but the gentle wind that whispered warnings of bad premonitions. _

_This time the hand that reached out of the water was not his own and Kaiba was hesitant to take hold of it. However, his soul didn't give him a choice and Kaiba found himself getting pulled back through the river, from the dreamside into his waking world where nothing but problems waited. _

* * *

**A/N:** It seems I just can't get enough of these Seto and Kaiba confrontations. I just think it's such a fascinating dynamic. Always a little bit different. But it does allow for some interesting bits, ne?

Anyway, I have made my return! For those of you who were wondering why I fell off the face of the earth (again, ugh), as some of you may know, I live on the east coast of America. My area was hit badly by Hurricane Irene and I lost power for almost four days. All of the roads were flooded or blocked by trees, so I couldn't go anywhere for an internet connection, which was out at my house even longer. I apologize, but there was just no helping it, sadly. Thankfully, we're all safe now.

Also, it has been brought to my attention that there was a plagiarism incident with someone stealing liberally from one of my fics. If any of you ever see such a thing, it would mean a lot to me if you mention it to me in a PM. I don't really read fanfics, so I would never see myself. I appreciate the vigilance and protectiveness of you all and I thank you for looking out for my work, even when I haven't been posting as frequently as normal.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Why are you here?" Kaiba demanded, his mind still processing in the ancient language he had used with Seto._

The next chapter is going to be a very important one, so please be sure to check in on **Sunday, September 11th**.


	34. Chapter 34: Reclaimed

**A/N: **Things might get a little intense, but Kaiba knows how to handle himself. This is hardly the worst thing Bakura has ever done, so hopefully it will be okay...

I know not all of you are comfortable with Bakura, but **if you skip this chapter, you'll be missing a major plot point that impacts all upcoming chapters and the rest of the Entangled Series**.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Reclaimed**

Disoriented from the transition from the realm of dreams into the waking world, Kaiba's return to awareness was muddled by mixed memories. He could feel a reassuring weight on him and Kaiba reached out on instinct as he lingered in the embrace of sleep. Lips graced his fingertips with a teasing kiss and all was right in the world until Kaiba remembered that it couldn't be Yami on top of him. For half a second, Kaiba almost hoped it was Ogata, because that would be preferable to the alternative, but that was not to be.

Trying to jerk his hand back, Kaiba's eyes flew open and confirmed with horror that it was in fact Bakura sitting straddled over his hips, looking entirely too at home in that position. There was little satisfaction to be had in seeing how swollen Bakura's cheek was from their earlier fight and the clotted cuts on his neck, but the evidence was there in hideous shades of violence.

"_Why are you here?_" Kaiba demanded, his mind still processing in the ancient language he had used with Seto.

Normally it took a great deal of threatening to get Kaiba to the point where he would willingly speak their shared language; Bakura couldn't remember a time when he had started a conversation with it. The oddity of it made Bakura lean closer and look Kaiba in the eyes, studying him intently as he replied, "_To see if I made any progress._"

"_Filth_," Kaiba sneered, the word stemming from a place deeper inside of himself, a place filled with an ancient smoky incense of a newly merged soul still settling.

That's when Bakura saw it—saw that glint of darkness that had fueled his fire in olden times. "_Seto_," Bakura realized breathlessly, feeling a surge of excitement stirring at the possibilities. Needing confirmation, Bakura reached out through their limited connection and immediately sensed the difference in Kaiba. Attributing it to the Millennium Rod, Bakura's grin turned into a depraved smirk as he realized the potential for fun.

Leaning forward and caressing Kaiba's cheek, Bakura purred, "_Seto_," in a way that the priest had never been able to resist. He could feel the reaction in the shadows of their connection and he repeated the name in the same manner as he bent closer, intent on taking a kiss now that Kaiba was awake and receptive.

It was disconcerting to Kaiba to feel the new fragment of Seto reacting to Bakura, but it was almost a relief to realize that his own disgust was still very much present and unaffected. Even though it pained Kaiba, he let Bakura continue to believe his delusions, just biding his time to make his move.

When Bakura was mere inches from Kaiba's lips, the brunette reached out once more, cupping the thief's cheek and running his thumb over the bruise he had made. The touch brought with it the slightest hint of pain and Bakura shifted reflexively as he started to get aroused.

Bakura's reaction disgusted Kaiba, but he didn't let it stop him from continuing. Running his hand back further and noticing how Bakura tilted his head almost like a cat accepting a petting, Kaiba threaded his fingers through the soft white hair in a mock of a caress. The simple touch caused a hitch in Bakura's breathing and Kaiba had to refrain from smirking when he realized he had the thief completely tricked.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Kaiba tightened his grip painfully as he reversed their positions with his body. Bakura arched up from the pain with a gasp of pleasure that turned Kaiba's stomach, but still he didn't let go. Even when Bakura's hips undulated as he sought friction for relief, Kaiba's discipline made him steel his reactions in favor of his goal. He tried to dissuade Bakura from moving by pulling tighter on his hair again, but it only made the thief moan louder at the exquisite pain.

Trying to act with his gained knowledge from Seto, Kaiba accessed the link between himself and Bakura. The feeling of Kaiba's soul searching out his made Bakura gasp as his eyes closed against their will, feeling the subtle differences with pleasure. "_I've waited so long_," Bakura groaned as he tried to keep control of his body while Kaiba plundered his soul. "_So damn long for you to come to your senses, Seto_…"

The note of genuine desperation in Bakura's voice made the shadows of Seto curl up in response, but Kaiba disregarded it in favor of finding what he was looking for and having difficulties finding, almost as if it was intentionally being hidden from him. Hoping he wouldn't regret it, Kaiba said, "_Show me_," and hoped that it wouldn't be misinterpreted.

When Bakura tried to reach up for another attempt at a kiss, Kaiba gently pushed him back down to the bed with the shadow powers that were so much faster to respond to him now. "_That's not what I meant_…"

Too caught up to sense the deception, Bakura decided it was time for a little pay back of his own. Caressing Seto's soul bond with an almost seductive lure, Kaiba inhaled sharply as his body responded on the strength of Seto's reaction, shuddering with an ancient need that was exacerbated by Kaiba's lack of physical connection with Yami. It only served as further encouragement for Bakura and he manipulated it with the full strength of his arousal bombarding Kaiba's senses, causing the reincarnated priest to thrust hard against the thief's arousal as Seto surged to the forefront in response.

Bakura's moan and Kaiba's revile were enough to get him back in control as he forcibly tried to shove the priest's unsettled soul back behind walls that were not yet strong enough to keep him locked away. With the connection as open as it was, Bakura got glimpses of the struggle and he entreated, "Let Seto come out and play for a bit, Kaiba. I guarantee you'll have a good time, too…"

Outraged at Bakura's suggestion as much as by Seto's pull toward the thief, Kaiba reached out and seized the fragment in the Millennium Ring that had been revealed. "I'll enjoy getting rid of you more," Kaiba growled as he started trying to break the bond that had caused nothing but problems.

Bakura was shocked as a ripple of pain ricocheted through him when Kaiba tried tugging on the fragment from his end to dislodge it. The reaction made Bakura summon his powers and knock Kaiba back onto the bed, pinning him there with magic means. "I can't let you do that," Bakura said, trying for the first time to fend Kaiba off of the only piece of Seto remaining.

"I'm not giving you a choice," Kaiba threatened as he easily broke free of the hold Bakura had tried to use on him. It only made Kaiba renew his efforts as he sat up, uttering an incantation that made Bakura flinch when he felt the paralyzing effects of the binding spell that was augmented with help from the Millennium Rod that lay glowing on the nightstand.

"You know what this means," Bakura warned, feeling an odd sense of desperation when he felt another fissure in the bond develop. "I'll gain my own body again."

"Or maybe your soul will disappear completely," Kaiba suggested in a menacing tone with a look of cruelty that went far beyond anything Seto ever aimed at Bakura. "Either way, I'll be rid of you for good."

Bakura tried to protest again, but Kaiba's ancient chant silenced him as every word drove a crack through the bond once cursed then cherished. Kaiba felt himself falling into the rhythm of Seto's remembered spell and the flow of power leant to him gave him an almost heady feeling.

Finally the sealing bond broke and Kaiba cried out in pain and doubled over with his eyes closed as he felt a million shattered pieces piercing through him as they started rebuilding inside of him, making him whole for the first time in over three thousand years. Seto's essence was completely absorbed as the sealing bond held him in his rightful place inside of Kaiba and he finally knew a calm peace as his body, powers, and spirit were finally restored.

Exhaling slowly and opening his eyes, Kaiba looked down at Bakura's body and the shallow breathing that was proof that if nothing else, the body was still alive. To his surprise, eyes fluttered open as the teen regained consciousness with some amount of effort. He managed to look up and smile softly at Kaiba, proving he was Ryou when he apologized, "I'm sorry for the trouble, Kaiba-kun."

If having Bakura in his bed was weird, having Ryou in his bed was even weirder. "I'm…sorry about your injuries," Kaiba forced himself to say, regretting that once again Ryou had taken a beating on Bakura's behalf.

Rubbing his cheek almost sheepishly, Ryou shrugged it off and said, "I tried to prevent him from coming over here, but…"

"Is he…?" Kaiba tried to ask, but the right word wouldn't come to him.

Touching the Millennium Ring with a sad smile, Ryou knew what was being asked of him. "He's still in here," Ryou informed Kaiba, although the spirit was dormant in shock. "That may have originally sealed him inside of this, but…but his soul is bound to mine."

Staring in confusion at the meek, awkward teen in front of him, Kaiba was surprised to realize, "Wait, _you're_ the one that's keeping him in there?"

"I've lost everyone else in my life," Ryou explained as he struggled to sit up, his body still feeling foreign from the abrupt change. "He's the only one who will never leave me. Plus, it was only because of him that I became friends with everyone."

Kaiba knew that he should have been outraged at the fact he had spent so much time worrying about what would happen should he ever reclaim that part of his soul, but he was too relieved to care at the moment. "They would still be your friends without him," Kaiba pointed out, before amending, "it would probably be easier that way."

"Please don't take him away from me," Ryou pleaded with such earnest eyes that Kaiba didn't know how to respond. "I—I need him. I…everyone else may hate him, but he's not…I know Kaiba-kun probably won't understand this, but—_please_."

Kaiba didn't understand why Ryou was almost in tears, nor did he particularly care. All that mattered to Kaiba was that Bakura was still trapped in the Millennium Ring and could no longer control the fragment and terrorize him as he once had. He had once promised Yami that he wouldn't destroy the Millennium Item to maintain the balance between them, but he didn't want to say such a thing to Ryou knowing that Bakura was sure to find out and act accordingly. Deciding to compromise, Kaiba said, "I've done enough today," and left it at that.

"Thank you," Ryou whispered with all the meaning that could ever be conveyed with the simple phrase.

A silence descended between them and Kaiba grew increasingly uncomfortable with having Ryou there as he was. "Do you want one of my physicians to check you over?" Kaiba offered, frowning as he noticed the way that Ryou was subtly trying to hold onto his side as if it was hurting.

"I couldn't possibly…" Ryou started to refuse with a blush that made him look even younger than his years.

"Would you be more comfortable if one of my drivers took you to the hospital instead?"

"Could I just go home?" Ryou hesitantly asked. "I already went to a clinic earlier."

Kaiba heard the unspoken, "While he was waiting for Yami to leave," part of Ryou's sentence and he let it go for once. "As soon as you feel up to it, I'll have a driver take you there."

"Thank you, Kaiba-kun. And for what it's worth, I'm truly sorry," Ryou apologized as he edged his way off of the bed.

"So am I," Kaiba replied, meaning it in more ways than even he understood as he watched Ryou leave his room.

Falling back on his bed with a heavy sigh, Kaiba closed his eyes and became more aware of the pieces still shifting within him. Although the presence of Seto's fragment still felt as if it was still moving inside of him, it was at least contained. There would be no more embarrassing lapses or potential weaknesses caused by Bakura lording it over him and for now, that was enough. It was a different kind of freedom, one that Kaiba secretly rejoiced in, feeling an unknown type of relief.

Still, Kaiba remembered Isis warning that reclaiming Seto's soul might be counterproductive to conducting the ceremony. It was cause for concern, but Kaiba could clearly feel the differences between himself and the fragment of Seto and he knew that the spirit's errant desires wouldn't impact him at all; he was above such things. As long as it gave him the strength to see it through to the end of Yami getting his body, Kaiba would put up with ignoring the shameful mourning he felt reacting in a place deep inside of Seto.

Resolving himself to speak to Yami about conducting the ceremony, Kaiba opened his eyes and got out of bed in order to get dressed and take care of getting rid of Ryou and heading to the Mutou's house to prepare for what was next.

* * *

**A/N: **Ryou came off as a bit demented in the manga and with serious abandonment issues, so I sort of like the idea of Ryou clinging and binding Bakura to him. Ryou has an odd type of strength and the fact that he puts up with Bakura's antics has always been intriguing to me.

Getting ready to hit the next major arc, so thanks for sticking with me for this long story!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_What have you done?" Yami whispered, his shock a far cry from the reaction that Kaiba had been expecting._

Next update will be on **Sunday, September 18th**, so I hope you enjoy this until then!


	35. Chapter 35: Almost There

**Chapter 35:** **Almost There**

Letting himself into the Mutou's house, Kaiba went upstairs to wait for Yuugi to get back from his errand. Rather than going to Yami's room as he normally did, Kaiba entered Yuugi's room with only a small amount of wrongness plaguing him over the action. However, he wasn't without purpose and that went a long way to alleviating the feeling as he walked over to Yuugi's desk.

Sitting on top of the desk where it had rested for years, the little gold box that the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle had resided in for centuries was now nothing more than an ostentatious decoration out of place amongst the high school textbooks that shared its space. Pulling out the chair and taking a seat at the desk, Kaiba pulled the small box toward him and Seto's sarcastic comment from the flashback immediately came to mind as he studied it. It was well made and would not have seemed out of place as the eighth Millennium Item in some ways, but it was nothing more than a gift—and yet Kaiba knew there was a significance to it.

Taking the lid off, Kaiba almost had to shake his head that such an ancient artifact that had survived through the sands of time for millennia had been reduced to a trading card holder. Taking out Yuugi's deck and carefully setting it aside, Kaiba continued looking at the inside of the box and was surprised to realize there was a blessing inscribed on the inside of it. It gave him a weird feeling inside as he read the pharaoh's words of praise to his bride, but Seto's bitterness had no place in Kaiba. Still, there was an irony in reading the pharaoh's own blessings of an eternal life and knowing what they had been twisted into through his entombment in the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle that had resided inside of it for so long.

Acting purely on instinct, Kaiba picked up the box and found himself stroking the central design as his powers activated. Although there should have been no true power within the object, it responded with the softest of whispers that surprised Kaiba by speaking in Nefersherit's voice rather than the pharaoh's. It was the faintest of chants, her prayer offered through eternity wishing for the broken halves of souls to reunite. He could feel the earnest intensity of her desire and Kaiba felt a hollow pang when her ancient presence faded from an echo across time into the present silence. When he pushed against it again, there was no variation in the experience as it repeated the same incantation, but there was still something about having any part of Nefersherit in the modern day as something other than a memory.

Before Kaiba could reflect further on it, he heard Yuugi bounding up the stairs and entering the room with a cheerful, "Hi, Seto-kun!"

Gently setting the box back on the desk, Kaiba turned in the swivel chair and faced Yuugi, feeling only the slightest margin of guilt over being caught in such a private moment. "Hey," Kaiba returned the greeting, feeling the need to justify what he was doing. "I wasn't going through your deck or anything, I just—"

Interrupting Kaiba with an amused laugh, Yuugi reassured him, "Even if you had, I wouldn't mind. You already know everything in there anyway."

"Well, that's true, but still," Kaiba protested, having more honor than snooping in such a pathetic way for an advantage. "I'd hope you'd have changed it since the last time we fought, though."

It was weird for Yuugi to realize that it had been well over a year since he had dueled against Kaiba. "I still want a rematch from that time," Yuugi told him as he took a seat on his bed and grinned ruefully. "Yami sort of ruined that last game between us, didn't he?"

"Your weak deck build was enough to do that," Kaiba retorted, although he didn't disagree. "Fine, I'll accept your challenge. Let's see you prove your title, Yuugi."

Rather than taking offense to the implication, Yuugi merely laughed and shared his amusement with Yami on the inside through their connection. "You tell me when and where, I'll be there," Yuugi agreed, a little spark of excitement at the idea igniting inside of him at the prospect.

"When Yami's not inside that to interfere," Kaiba stipulated, knowing that time should be sooner rather than later, "and preferably before my next tournament."

"Sounds good," Yuugi confirmed, even though the time frame was nebulous. "But in that case, what were you doing?"

Brought back to the situation at hand, Kaiba tried to explain, "I needed to see the box to…understand some things."

"Do you need to take it back with you?" Yuugi immediately offered. "I have other deck holders."

"I should certainly hope so," Kaiba snidely commented. "A gilded box is hardly the most practical option."

"It's not like he takes it outside," Anzu pointed out as she entered the room, startling Kaiba a little since he hadn't heard her approach. She noticed his expression and giggled a bit at it as she sat down next to Yuugi on the bed. "It's called walking on pointe, which is why you couldn't hear me."

Scowling a little as she laughed again, Kaiba made mental note of what she had accomplished and her instant insight into his disturbance. "And you tried to sneak in because…?" Kaiba questioned, annoyed with himself for having missed her entrance for as long as he had.

"I _successfully_ snuck in," Anzu corrected him with a smug grin, "just to see if I could."

Having done something similar in the past, Kaiba dropped the issue and let the girl have her moment. Yuugi was the first to bring them back to the main conversation as he reoffered, "I really don't mind if you take it with you."

Kaiba physically jerked back when Yami appeared on the desk, sitting next to the lid with a curious look as he probed the lid of the box with spiritual fingers. Anzu was puzzled by the reaction and by the way Yuugi started laughing at where Kaiba was staring. "It's not funny," Kaiba snapped at Yuugi before glancing over at Anzu and realizing she wasn't looking at the spiritual representation of Yami.

"_She can't see me,"_ Yami explained, earning him a withering glare from Kaiba.

"You get used to it," Yuugi counseled Kaiba, a hint of his amusement still coloring his voice.

"I refuse to," Kaiba growled, the implication of Yami staying in that form any longer than he had to causing him to react badly.

"Uh, what just happened?" Anzu asked as she looked between Kaiba and Yuugi for a clue.

Ignoring Anzu's confusion, Kaiba avoided looking at Yami as he told Yuugi, "If you're okay with it, I would like to borrow the box at least until the ceremony."

"_Why?"_ Yami wanted to know, wondering what Kaiba's sudden fascination with the object was.

"It's not a problem at all," Yuugi said, although he also wanted to echo Yami's question. However, Yuugi thought that was something Yami was probably going to be more successful at getting an answer to than him. "Do you need anything else?"

"I need to talk to Yami and then I should be able to fill you in," Kaiba replied, hoping that for once everything would go according to plan.

Impishly leaning forward, Yami breathily asked in Kaiba's ear, _"And what is it that you want to tell me in private?"_

Glaring in annoyance at Yami through a sideways glance, Kaiba resisted the urge to push the spectral form back for some distance. It didn't help that Yuugi was barely managing to suppress his laughter at the situation.

"We'll leave you two alone, then," Yuugi offered as he took off the Millennium Puzzle and set it on his bed before standing up with Anzu. "See you downstairs?"

"Sure," Kaiba agreed, waiting until they both left and shut the door behind them to look back at Yami. "You just couldn't resist, could you?"

"_Hey, I resisted plenty,"_ Yami defended himself as he got off the desk and onto his knees in front of Kaiba. _"This is what I really wanted to do…"_

The sexual implication of the position immediately started to arouse Kaiba as his mind was quick to flash memories of Yami blowing him at his desk, but he quickly stifled his own reaction. "I thought you wanted to know why I was interested in the box," Kaiba said as a reminder to Yami in hopes of dissuading him from further distractions.

Pouting prettily as he stood up and looked at the box on the desk, Yami asked, _"So what's so important about this now?"_

"Have you ever heard it?" Kaiba questioned, feeling ridiculous for the question.

Raising an eyebrow at the oddity of Kaiba's query, Yami replied, _"No, I can't say that I have. I didn't know it had anything to say."_

Rolling his eyes as Yami's glib comment, Kaiba continued, "Have you ever really looked at it?"

"_It's what Yuugi holds his deck in, so why would I?"_ Yami retorted. _"There's no magical power in it, so I honestly never really paid attention to it."_

Even though Kaiba understood Yami's logic, he insisted, "What about now?"

Peering down at the box, Yami noticed the inscription inside, but it wasn't enough to make him understand why Kaiba was suddenly fascinated with it. _"What are you trying to get me to see?"_ Yami finally asked, failing to grasp what Kaiba was driving at about the object.

Figuring a demonstration would be more effective than explaining, Kaiba reached out with his newly cemented powers and triggered the echo of Nefersherit's prayer, still feeling it resonate deep within him, even as he was carefully watching Yami for a reaction.

"_Surely that's not Isis,"_ Yami said when the last words had faded away.

"You don't recognize the voice?" Kaiba realized with some surprise. The sudden deluge of memories over the past few days from the Millennium Puzzle and Rod made It confusing to recognize what Yami did and didn't remember from the past; it was all right at the forefront of his own mind.

"_Should I?"_ Yami asked, not understanding Kaiba's sudden fascination with it.

"It's Nefersherit," Kaiba told Yami, watching as the former pharaoh's eyes went wide with surprise. "She must have done it before the Millennium Puzzle's final entombment in the pyramid."

Everything started becoming more confusing for Yami and he knew there were more questions than answers. It just didn't make sense why Kaiba seemed to be okay with it or how he knew so much about the matter. _"How do you know?"_

"I saw her in the memories of the memories of the Millennium Puzzle, the Millennium Rod, and…from Seto himself," Kaiba confessed, although it still felt strange to say out loud.

"_From Seto himself?" _Yami repeated, wondering how such a thing was even possible. Gesturing for Kaiba to lean forward, Yami reached his soul out to form their connection and was stunned by what he felt. _"What happened?"_

Shivering as he felt Yami's soul probing against his for answers, Kaiba forced himself to explain and not get distracted, "I reclaimed the piece from Bakura."

Reeling back in shock, Yami demanded, _"You did _what_?"_

"I told you, I would stop at nothing to get you back and if that's what it took, then—"

"_What have you done?"_ Yami whispered, his shock a far cry from the reaction that Kaiba had been expecting. _"Now…that means now Bakura can—"_

Interrupting Yami to stop his panic from making false assumptions, Kaiba reassured him, "Bakura's still sealed inside of the Millennium Ring with no way out. You don't need to worry about that."

"_But how is that possible?"_ Yami wanted to know, his mind racing at the revelations. _"Seto's soul was the only thing keeping the thief…"_

"Seto's soul originally sealed the thief in there, but Ryou's is responsible for bonding him permanently," Kaiba explained, still unclear about how that specifically worked. "He can't come after us anymore, Yami."

It almost seemed too good to be true and Yami was still suffering from disbelief as he warned, _"That's not going to stop him."_

"True," Kaiba agreed, "but now he can't use Seto's idiocy against me. I can defend myself fully against anything he may try."

Yami was about to reply when he found the ancient fragment that was newly bonded and still not completely settled within Kaiba. _"How did you…? When did you…?"_ Yami tried to ask, but he was still too surprised by it.

"He came back after you left," Kaiba explained, feeling Yami's rage hit a new level through their connection, causing him to flinch at the intensity of it as the edges of the room started to blur with shadows. "So I decided to end it."

Yami was too stunned for words and he just stared at Kaiba as he tried to grasp the full implications of his actions. _"Meaning…?"_

"I say we try the ceremony tomorrow," Kaiba announced, knowing he still needed a little more time to recover and clear his schedule.

"_Are you—are you sure?"_ Yami asked, fearing that it was almost too good to be true. After so many weeks trapped inside of the Millennium Puzzle, it was hard to believe that freedom might be so close after such a disaster.

"Provided Isis can accommodate us," Kaiba replied, his voice dripping with irritation at the mere thought of her being cause for any further delays than a day.

Kaiba was hit with the full barrage of Yami's excited emotions of adoration and hope, distracting him from the fact that the spectral form that suddenly appeared on his lap didn't have any real substance to it. "I'll do this," Kaiba swore, before amending, "_we'll_ do this, Yami."

"_Mmhm," _Yami quietly agreed, trying and failing to contain his excitement. _"Can we tell aibou and Anzu-chan?"_

"Considering he has to be present for the ceremony, yes," Kaiba dryly pointed out, assuming that since his body was a vessel, there was a role for him to play as well.

"_Let's go then,"_ Yami decided, pressing his lips against Kaiba's in a phantom kiss before retreating back into the Millennium Puzzle.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiba put the lid back on the box before picking it up to take with him. Only then did he pick up the Millennium Puzzle and go downstairs to talk, unable to stop a slight smile when he felt Yami brush against his mind one more time.

* * *

**A/N:** Not a whole lot to add here, so moving right along…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_And so it shall be done_," _Kaiba swore before throwing open his connection between the Millennium Rod and Puzzle, causing them both to activate._

Next update will be on, **Sunday, September 25th**, the day before I move to Japan. It's going to be the major chapter you've all been waiting for, so please be sure to check back then and see it as well as an update on my posting schedule.


	36. Chapter 36: Ceremony

**A/N:** There's a **posting schedule update** at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 36: Ceremony**

"I am _not_ wearing that," Kaiba angrily growled at Isis, his hatred reacting on multiple levels to her very existence and suggestion.

"Would you really risk the success of the ceremony on your aberration toward a historical costume?" Isis smoothly countered as she once again gestured at the priest's garb laid out for Kaiba to change into for the ceremony.

"Are you honestly telling me that what I wear is seriously going to change the outcome of Yami getting his body back?" Kaiba retorted, his indignation mixing with humiliation. After so much denial about not being the priest, to dress up like him was too much of an insult. "Besides, he wasn't wearing that in the original ceremony and that wasn't the reason why he failed."

Frowning in disappointment, she knew his last argument had her beat, but she wasn't giving up entirely quite yet. "I would think you would be willing to do anything to ensure the complete restoration of the pharaoh," Isis attempted to guilt him into it as a final attempt.

Taking a threatening step toward her, Kaiba warned in a menacing voice, "I would think you should know better by now than to attempt such things, priestess. I've let you go unchecked in this lifetime, but I know you're well acquainted with the priest's punishments for you in the past. Don't think I won't resort to something far worse now."

It was not an idle threat, but Isis continued projecting an unaffected demeanor at Kaiba. "You shall do no such thing so long as you have a use for me," she challenged as she stared defiantly up at him, never breaking eye contact.

"And you shall not disobey me so long as you follow your oath to serve the pharaoh in any capacity he wishes," Kaiba retorted, smirking at her shudder and missing the innuendo. "You've served under us both and _you will obey me, Isis_."

Bowing her head in respect to her station and to hide her anger at his heavy handed manner, Isis replied in the ancient language Kaiba had slipped into, "_As you wish, Seto-sama_."

Having gotten his way, Kaiba smirked in deep satisfaction before turning away from her and leaving the offending garments on the bed. "_You will attend to me now,_" Kaiba informed her as he gestured for her to come, following her into the depths of the museum into a dark hell that he could only hope he would emerge triumphant from with Yami at his side in physical form.

"…:::…"

Blaming his nerves on the unsettled remnants of Seto that he had yet to fully master, Kaiba tried to ignore the fact that the entirety of the Yuugi-tachi was standing behind him along the back walls with his younger brother, observing the ceremony with fascination and silence. He was here to get Yami back and that was all that mattered; witnesses were of no consequence. Besides, he was used to far greater numbers combined with strangers when watching him duel, so he tried to console himself with minimal success that this was no different.

The table in front of him had the Millennium Puzzle resting on it, along with the box that the fragments had sat in for centuries that was laced with the blessings of a woman who had loved both pharaohs in her own way during their ancient time. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Kaiba had hidden the Millennium Puzzle charm he had made for Yami and taken back from Hoshino inside of the box. He wasn't sure what compelled him to do it, but his desire to follow instinct outweighed his normal practicality in the current situation.

He held the Millennium Rod tightly in his fist as he stared at the backdrop of the Dueling Stele that Seto had commissioned in his grief. Kaiba was determined to rise above it all and show that idiot priest and priestess how it was done and failure was not an option. Only then did it occur to him that Isis had previously mentioned there was another item that should be present. "Where is the last thing?" Kaiba asked Isis, his voice sounding too loud in the cavernous basement that looked as if it could be any temple in the sands of Egypt.

Bowing in acknowledgement, Isis explained, "It is here, but I am unable to touch it."

"What sort of nonsense is that?" Kaiba scoffed, finding the idea ridiculous.

"Anzu-chan, if you would," Isis requested the girl, knowing that the item wouldn't reject her given her connection between the three men in question.

Confused, but complacent, Anzu approached the priestess who gestured for her to follow as they disappeared into a backroom. "What do you think that's all about?" Yuugi wondered as he glanced over at Kaiba to see if he had any idea.

"No clue," Kaiba tersely replied, finding it a strange exchange. He also couldn't help but note that Yuugi was also dressed typically, despite standing by his side for the ceremony; Kaiba added it as another black mark against Isis.

They weren't kept waiting for long as Anzu and Isis returned, the older woman directing, "Please proceed, Anzu-chan."

Doing as she was told, Anzu opened up the box and saw there was a pendant covered in rows of tiny hieroglyphs that were beyond her understanding. It was beautiful, but she didn't allow herself to get distracted any further as she took the pendant from the box that Isis quickly took from her, careful not to touch the golden artifact.

"Explain yourself," Kaiba commanded Isis, looking beyond Anzu to the priestess.

"I alone am unable to touch it," Isis stated with a frown, familiar through the flashback of the Millennium Tauk of all the reasons why. "Anzu-chan is an acceptable surrogate for this role."

It wasn't much of an explanation, but Kaiba was too busy trying to assess Anzu and what she was holding to reprimand the priestess. He could tell that it was some sort of medallion, but the meaning was unclear until Anzu was close enough to present it. "She said I have to put it on for you," Anzu told Kaiba, gesturing with her head for him to bend down a little so she could do so.

The black cord was large enough to slip over Kaiba's head and Anzu whispered, "I know you'll do this," rather than a wish for good luck, surprising him once again at her insightful way of addressing him. She released the necklace to settle against the center of his chest before stepping aside and waiting for Isis to dismiss her back to the group.

"And what is this supposed to accomplish?" Kaiba asked Isis, aware of a faint thrumming of energy from it but not much else.

"If you had worn the ceremonial robes, you would have experienced the instantaneous results," Isis chided, getting one more dig in about his disagreeing to wear anything other than his customary black garb, having shed the trench coat for the efficiency of movement. "Use the cord to place it under your shirt and you shall see."

Doing as he was instructed with some amount of reservation, he wasn't given any time to question her because he felt himself overcome by golden shadows that rippled out in a single pulse wave that startled Anzu a few steps back as the rest of the Yuugi-tachi pressed closer against the wall.

It almost felt as if the ancient words written on the pendant were being seared into his skin and Kaiba gritted his teeth as his soul reacted in turn, whispers turning to loud chants inside of his very being. He could have sworn that he felt Nefersherit's hand on his shoulder as he had seen her do so often in the visions as she spoke for his ears only the incantation of protection that he could almost feel binding into a promise far more powerful than the echo of the ancient box.

He repeated the words of her offering and the Millennium Rod activated in response, causing Isis to gesture for Anzu to take her place back along the wall with the rest of the group, leaving only Kaiba and Yuugi stand in the middle of the room. Anzu was almost too stunned to comply, shocked to see the golden glow of Kaiba's normally pure blue eyes, but she obeyed and shushed the Yuugi-tachi when they started trying to ask questions.

As Kaiba spoke the last word that was inscribed, the burning sensation stopped, but he could still feel their presence just as he could the affection across the centuries that Nefersherit had for the two men. That was how he discovered the curse etched into it, forbidding Isis from interfering with their fate, making Kaiba laugh with full comprehension of why the priestess couldn't touch the pendant without condemning herself to the wrath of an eternity of a punishment far worse than any earthly threat he could carry out on her. However, it wasn't the time to question it. Instead she faded away and Kaiba's vision cleared once more.

"_And so the gods spoke_," Isis concluded in the ancient language that would be used to conduct the rest of the ceremony.

"_And so it shall be done_," Kaiba swore before throwing open his connection between the Millennium Rod and Puzzle, causing them both to activate. It drew Yuugi's latent power to the forefront, but Yami remained ensconced within the walls of the Puzzle, even as the Millennium Tauk came back to life.

Holding out the Millennium Rod, Kaiba used it to channel his powers and focus them as his body fell into the remembered rhythms of Seto's ceremony. Yuugi remained in silent awe as Isis provided the backup incantations, all under the watchful eye of the Dueling Stele that presided over them all.

Just as he had done during his encounter with Bakura, Kaiba reached through his connection with Yami, only this time he used ancient words as guidance to find the way to bring the ancient spirit back into the realm of reality once more. He urged his soul to wrap around Yami's when he found it, pressing as close as possible with the strength of his emotions refusing to let him be denied. Every word tightened the bond between them, strengthening through the union and although Kaiba's words faded to the faintest whisper, his actions were sure and confident.

When Kaiba tried to draw them both out of the Millennium Puzzle, he was met with resistance and hurt, but that still wasn't enough to stop him. No, Kaiba was determined to stop at nothing less than bringing Yami back into his physical form and a little pain wasn't going to stop him. His voice regained its strength as he started the second wave of attack against the golden prison and Kaiba reached deep within himself to find more power to continue.

He lost track of time as he continued repeating the words from the past to rectify the mistakes for a better future, never letting go of the hold he had on Yami's soul. Puling on the link with all of his desire, as if he could physically drag Yami out of the Millennium Puzzle and into a body with the sheer strength of determination alone, Kaiba felt something give as a fracture formed.

It was a promise of progress and Kaiba proceeded only when he was completely confident that he still had a firm hold of Yami's soul. The next tug caused Yuugi to collapse on the ground with a moan, but Kaiba didn't stop—knew that he couldn't stop. Instead, he continued weaving his spell with renewed vigor as tried to visualize Yami coming from the Millennium Puzzle into his old body, doing his best to remember every little detail with the perfectionism that was both a blessing and a curse.

Eventually Kaiba could feel his strength fading, but he wasn't giving up yet. It made him more vicious in his attempts to hurry, knowing that time was running out and they had come too far to stop now. It caused Yami's soul to react to the pain, but Kaiba could do nothing more than shield him from the hurt as best he knew how. Putting his everything into his actions, Kaiba made a final attempt at freeing Yami, knowing he was almost out of energy.

"_This Seto-sama commands it_!" Kaiba growled as he gestured with the Millennium Rod, physically pulling it back and toward him as if he were actually pulling Yami free from the Millennium Puzzle. "_He belongs to me, not the echoes of time. Return him to me now!"_

The sudden pulsation of power that exploded in the room with raw creation was intense, but all Kaiba noticed was the sudden appearance of a familiar weight in his arms. The combined pressure and exertion caused Kaiba to collapse to the floor, but he cradled Yami's naked form to his body, careful not to let him go or jostle him too much.

All of Kaiba's strength was gone and he struggled to hold on to consciousness needing to know that Yami was really okay. "Yami," Kaiba urged, his voice rough from the endless chanting. There was absolutely no reaction from the body and Kaiba felt panic creeping up inside of him.

Cradling Yami's cheek with trembling fingers, Kaiba repeated, "Yami," with a note of desperation that he would never openly acknowledge. But he needed to see those fiery eyes, needed to know that he hadn't messed up somehow, that Yami was okay and had successfully merged body and soul together as one. "Come on, Yami!"

Mokuba's immense pride and awe in his brother's abilities were quickly tempered by the pleading fear in Kaiba's voice that he had never heard before. It was unsettling and he wanted to rush to his brother's side, but Isis held up a hand to still them all from going to Kaiba, Yami, or Yuugi. Likewise, Anzu was struggling against her urge to go to her boyfriend's side and check on him, but the scene between Kaiba and Yami left her helplessly paralyzed as she watched in anxious anticipation.

Kaiba could feel the faintest trace of a pulse and the shallow breathing told him that the body was fine, but it meant nothing if Yami wasn't present inside of it. "Yami, open your eyes," Kaiba pleaded, his voice cracking as he added an uncharacteristic, "_please._"

There was still no response and out of desperation, Kaiba leaned his forehead against Yami's and reached out with his spirit to try and reach Yami before the absolute last of his strength deserted him. He could faintly feel Yami on that level and Kaiba tried to coax him into awareness even as he was starting to fade.

Kaiba was startled when he felt a hand reach up and caress him gently and his head snapped up as he stared into exhausted red eyes that had never seemed so beautiful to him. "Yami," Kaiba whispered in excitement, wondering if he hadn't passed out and started hallucinating after all.

"_It worked_," Yami said with a tired smile, loving that he could finally feel for himself again when Kaiba kissed his palm.

"_We did it,_" Kaiba murmured in relief, knowing that he had safely brought Yami into a permanent form. It was only when Yami's eyes slid shut that Kaiba allowed himself to pass out into the darkness that was so eager to reclaim him. Even then, Kaiba refused to let go and shielded Yami's body from the world with his own slumped over form.

* * *

**A/N:** Little late since I was trying to finish packing before my move…Hopefully the ceremony was worth the wait~! Thank you for your patience while I worked my way this far, but we still have farther to go, fufufu~.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_He recognized that he was in his own bedroom, but he had no memory of how he got there or came to be naked in the process. His awareness of a pressure on his chest brought the world to a halt as he realized that it was Yami, nestled at his side as if the past few weeks had never happened_.

Since I'm in the middle of moving to Japan, this story won't be updated until **Sunday, October 16th** at the earliest. I know everyone is super eager to find out what happens next, but I need to take a little bit of time to get settled.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this much awaited chapter! I'm still blown away that this is over 500 reviews, so thank you very much for the constant support and encouragement. I know my posting pace has been less than optimal compared to my past schedule, so it means a lot to know that you haven't given up on me or the story yet. I really do have the best readers!


	37. Chapter 37: Reconnected

**A/N: **Please note that this chapter is **99 percent lemon**…

* * *

**Chapter 37: Reconnected**

Although it was Kaiba's nature to awaken quickly with awareness, he was slow to process the information of what his situation was. He recognized that he was in his own bedroom, but he had no memory of how he got there or came to be naked in the process. His awareness of a pressure on his chest brought the world to a halt as he realized that it was Yami, nestled at his side as if the past few weeks had never happened. It was almost surreal and it caused Kaiba to stroke Yami's side to make sure that he was real. The action caused Yami to murmur in his sleep and press closer to Kaiba's side to escape the sensation and that was enough proof for the brunette.

Pride, relief, excitement, and countless other unnamable emotions flitted through Kaiba's mind as he held Yami close and wondered how much time had passed. Glancing over at his Blue Eyes White Dragon alarm clock, it appeared that it had been about four hours since the ceremony, but it felt as if there were years between the events that took place in the museum's basement and where Kaiba was currently at with Yami. It almost felt impossible, but Kaiba only needed to touch Yami and feel the connection still thrumming between them to tell that it had in fact been a success.

"Has anyone ever told you that you think too loud?" Yami groaned as Kaiba's wildly fluxing emotional state pulled him from sleep.

The normalcy of the moment once again made Kaiba feel as if the weeks with Yami missing had been a faraway nightmare and he found himself laughing. "No, just you," Kaiba answered as he maneuvered himself into a position over Yami, realizing that the charm pendant he had been wearing earlier was missing.

Rather than the bruising intensity of a kiss to make up for lost time, Kaiba leaned down and captured a tender kiss as he tasted Yami for the first time with a soft moan at the sensation. Yami was the first to deepen it as he reacquainted himself with Kaiba's mouth, finally feeling as if he had truly returned when he felt those broad hands on his new body. Everything felt more intense than before and Yami had to pull back a little as his cheeks were graced with the first flush of arousal.

Running the back of his fingers against the heat of Yami's blush, Kaiba felt it stoke a fire he had been suppressing for too long. It made him initiate another kiss that was so passionate that Yami started squirming under him with little mewls of frustration that were like the sweetest symphony to Kaiba and he wasn't prepared to deny the former pharaoh anything.

Sitting up and casting the covers aside, Kaiba admired Yami fully with a growing hunger that was almost painfully intense. He had helped bring Yami back, had helped recreate the body he was currently looking at, and it was an amazing feeling. Still, ever the perfectionist, Kaiba wanted to make sure that every inch of Yami was as it should be.

Moving down to the end of the bed, Kaiba took Yami's right foot in his hand for inspection, earning him the question, "What are you doing?"

Rather than answering with words, Kaiba started with Yami's toes, running his thumb over them before placing a kiss on the top of the foot. The oddity of the feeling made Yami want to pull away from it, but Kaiba held on and prevented it. With his hands and lips, Kaiba worked his way systematically up Yami's foot to his leg, possessively caressing his way along in his search to make sure that every detail down to the last freckle and mole has been recreated perfectly.

When he reached the junction between Yami's upper thigh and hip, Kaiba restarted from the left foot up, causing his willing captive to groan as the actions started to arouse his already sensitive new body. He pleaded for respite when Kaiba began kissing the inside of his thigh, but was denied with a smug chuckle that did nothing to tame his desires.

When Kaiba reached the place he had previously stopped, he continued kissing his way along Yami's hips, taking great care to lavish attention along any marks that he might have ignored before Yami went missing. It had Yami writhing underneath him, but Kaiba didn't stop as he made his way up to the pert peaks that demanded attention. Teasing one with his tongue while the other was tormented with fingers, Kaiba could only chuckle as Yami was rapidly reduced into broken phrases of a mind unable to keep up with the pleasure. Kaiba encouraged it by switching to the other nipple, unable to resist lightly applying pressure with the barest trace of teeth, causing Yami to cry out and arch up under him.

Kaiba wouldn't be satisfied until he heard his name cried out instead, but that would come later; he wasn't done exploring and reclaiming quite yet. Finally granting reprieve to the nipples, Kaiba moved on as he worked his way along Yami's pecks and up to his right shoulder before starting down his arm. Once he reached Yami's hand, Kaiba placed a kiss on the back of it and made the former pharaoh inhale sharply when that wasn't the end of it.

Driven by impulse, Kaiba took Yami's index and middle finger into his mouth and ran his tongue against them as he sucked in a manner that caused the former spirit to become even more erect than he already was. It only served as encouragement and Kaiba did the same to Yami's ring and pinky finger, glancing up when he felt the thumb caressing his cheek in appreciation.

The intensity of Kaiba's gaze made Yami lick his lips and anticipation and he made a noise when his thumb was nipped at in response. However, rather than moving on, Kaiba mirrored his actions down Yami's left arm, only this time he took three fingers into his mouth and sucked hard on them. Only once Kaiba was ready did he move up to Yami's neck and begin teasing it with licks, kisses, nips, and soft touches.

It was a small transition from Yami's chin back to his lips and Kaiba indulged himself thoroughly once there, unaware of the way his hips thrust in pace with his tongue. It was driving Yami mad with desire, but Kaiba still wasn't done. Starting with a kiss on the tip of Yami's nose, Kaiba then progressed along cheeks, eyes, temples, and ears before a last one on his forehead where the Millennium Eye appeared. "_Seto_," Yami growled in sexual frustration, earning him an unconcerned look from Kaiba as he took the time to take hold of one of Yami's golden bangs and kiss the end of it.

"Hm?" Kaiba hummed, although he knew perfectly well what Yami wanted.

"_Please_," Yami pleaded, rolling his hips against Kaiba's to silently hint.

"I was working my way there," Kaiba told him with a sexy smirk way that made Yami shudder at the promise of what was to come.

Rather than kissing his way back down, Kaiba shifted his position and made himself comfortable on the bed while running his fingers along Yami's erection and down to his sac. Massaging Yami's balls in his hand, Kaiba was amused at the way it caused him to cry out wordlessly and lift off the bed in pleasure. Emboldened by the response, Kaiba bent down and cautiously took the left one into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue and causing Yami to gasp in shock when Kaiba continued teasing the right one with caresses.

Yami had barely managed to utter a shaky, "Seto," before Kaiba switched sides and the last vowel of his name transitioned into a low moan. Although it was an act Kaiba hand never engaged in, it was more than rewarding to hear Yami unraveling in sheer pleasure at the overload of sensations. It made Kaiba move on and upward with minimal hesitation, teasing the head of Yami's cock with his tongue as forewarning before taking it fully into his mouth.

Yami could barely process what was happening as he tried to remind himself not to move and make things difficult for Kaiba. He could hardly believe what Kaiba was doing and with an enthusiasm that was sure to bring him to an end quicker than he would have liked. Everything still felt too new, too real, and Yami tried to think of anything to delay the inevitable release a little longer.

Kaiba could sense Yami's distraction, but rather than irritating him, it just made him step up his efforts as he started bobbing his head and let his fingers drift down and tease him further. The combination of sensations made Yami swear as he tried to warn Kaiba to back off a little to recover, but the words went unheeded. Kaiba was determined to bring Yami to climax and his normal reservations were silent; whether or not that and his willingness to do things that he never traditionally did had anything to do with the absorption of Seto's soul was a thought for another time. All that mattered now was the beautiful being under him and Kaiba moaned around the length interned in his mouth when Yami threaded his fingers in brunette hair for an encouraging caress.

When Kaiba's fingers started trailing lower still, Yami couldn't hold back anymore and he came hard, his entire body arching up from the sensation. Kaiba drank it all down before releasing and wiping the excess from his lip with his thumb. He sat up with a smug look at Yami's flushed cheeks and lust that made his male pride ache with a need he had been denying himself for too long.

"You…" Yami tried to say, but the words failed him as he struggled against the overwhelming pleasure that made everything else feel hazy.

Kaiba still wasn't done, though and he told Yami, "Turn over."

The command shocked Yami and he groaned a protest, needing time to recover. When he was slow in reacting, Kaiba nudged him in encouragement and Yami forced himself to cooperate, even though he didn't understand why. Settling himself on his stomach, Yami glanced back when he heard Kaiba inhale sharply and asked, "What?"

Kaiba had been expecting to see the silvered scar that had marred Yami's previous incarnations, but the thief's wound was completely absent. He reached out with trembling fingers and traced it in disbelief, the significance of it not lost on him. Whereas Isis had originally recreated the pharaoh, Kaiba had been focusing on bringing Yami back; there was no place for the thief and the unscarred skin was further proof of that. "_Mine_," Kaiba breathed as he kissed the smooth skin with a devotion and desire for nothing but Yami and his entirety. It was tempting to leave his own mark, reclaim Yami for his own, but Kaiba refrained.

Instead of answering Yami's question, Kaiba resumed his former activities and started all over again. Kissing the nape of Yami's neck and suckling at it just hard enough to earn a gasp but not raise a hickey, Kaiba began running his tongue down the curve of Yami's spine, causing the former spirit to shiver. When he reached Yami's ass, Kaiba diverted to one of the cheeks and playful nipped to make sure that Yami's attention hadn't warned too far in his satiation from before. It made Yami jerk in surprise as he exclaimed, "Hey!"

Chuckling in amusement as he sat up again, Kaiba slowly ran his hands in tandem from the top of Yami's shoulders and down his back, letting his fingers trail along the former pharaoh's sides, making him shudder with his heightened sensitivity. He groaned when Kaiba's hands reached for his ass once more and gave a firm grope that caused Yami to buck hard against the sheets as his desire warred with his exhaustion.

It drove Kaiba to take things a step further as he let his fingers tease along Yami's crack, causing him to make the an needy noise as his hips lifted off the bed slightly. The reaction intrigued Kaiba and he gently spread Yami's cheeks to reveal the place where he was aching to burry himself in soon. Teasingly running his fingers over it, Kaiba watched in fascination as Yami's whole body reacted, wanting it as much as him. It was an area Kaiba had previously never paid much attention to, but in his current quest to leave no part of Yami unexplored, he found himself contemplating it as he continued slowly teasing it with his fingers.

The feeling made Yami utter fractured syllables of frustration as he felt the slightest bit of penetration that served as a tease for what else they could be doing. Just as he was about to growl at Kaiba to stop tormenting him, he startled at an unfamiliar sensation.

Driven by an all-consuming need for Yami, Kaiba took advantage of the fact that the newly formed body was at its absolute purest state and acted on a whim that he never would have entertained otherwise. Tracing Yami's opening with his tongue, Kaiba lightly penetrated him with it. Yami trembled from the sensation as Kaiba became bolder still and probed even deeper while fondling his ass at the same time. It was bringing him back to full arousal and he moaned, "Seto," in approval, almost coming undone as Kaiba continued.

Resting his forehead on the sheets, Yami was almost panting from the pleasure as every thought became one of need. He cried out in frustration when Kaiba pulled away and he propped himself up on his arms to turn around and glare at his boyfriend for being so cruel as to stop when he did. Kaiba ignored it as he moved in order to get the lube from the nightstand, giving Yami time to get his knees under him, although his muscles were quivering from the overload.

Taking advantage of Yami's shift in position, Kaiba spread some lube over his fingers before he placed one of them against the spot that belonged to him and no one else. Circling the hole teasingly, Kaiba lightly inserted one finger, watching as it disappeared into him with a little resistance. "Oh, Yami," Kaiba breathed, reveling in the feeling of being inside him once more. The tightness was even better than he remembered and it made him want to burry himself in the depths of Yami's body.

Working with a patience he normally lacked, Kaiba proceeded slowly, working his fingers slowly to ready Yami for him with as little pain as possible. It was obscene to see his fingers working in and out of Yami, but Kaiba felt himself growing almost impossibly hard, resisting the urge to stroke himself for some relief. Instead he dedicated his every action to Yami, working him into a frenzy that went beyond his exhaustion. "No more," Yami finally pleaded wanting more than just fingers inside of him.

"Are you sure?" Kaiba asked, even though he would have stopped long before with Yami's previous body.

"_Yes_," Yami aggressively confirmed, groaning with need when Kaiba withdrew his fingers with an obscene noise from the lube.

As tempting as it was to take Yami in that position, it was for another time. Laying down on his back next to Yami, Kaiba was about to dispense more lube when the former spirit snatched the bottle from him. Kaiba arched an eyebrow at the action, but he said nothing as Yami poured some into his palm.

Deciding that a little revenge of his own was more than fair, Yami wrapped his hand around Kaiba's cock with a slow teasing pump, coating it with the lube in the process. He loved the way it made Kaiba catch his breath and Yami continued teasing it with a more substantial grip as he worked the rigid length, smirking at the way Kaiba's whole body tensed when he ran his thumb over the head. As much as he wanted to exact a slow revenge and refamiliarize himself with Kaiba's body, it would have to wait; there were more pressing desires to attend to.

Straddling himself over Kaiba, Yami wasted no time in lowering himself onto the rigid member, gasping at the sensation. It felt like it took forever to situate himself, causing Yami to sigh in relief once he had completely accepted all of Kaiba. To be so filled, so complete after so long was an incredible feeling and Yami took his time recovering as he adjusted to the girth.

It had taken a tremendous effort not to move while Yami went at his own pace, especially since the view it presented Kaiba was a rather glorious perspective. He reveled in the expressions on Yami's face and in the sensation of being surrounded by his warmth after so long. Unable to resist, Kaiba reached out and ran his hands along Yami's thighs in silent encouragement and waited for him to be able to move. It made Kaiba feel whole in a way he hadn't for a long time, but he found himself reaching out with his powers, searching out a total connection.

The feeling of their souls uniting caused a flare out of power that was so intense that it temporarily distracted them from the actual connection itself. When it settled, the free flowing emotional link amplified everything and Kaiba didn't shy away from it. It meant feeling Yami on every possible level and for Kaiba that was all that mattered after almost losing him.

Embracing the fullness of their connection, Yami tested himself with shallow, slow movements at first, making a small noise when Kaiba tentatively thrust up to meet him on a downward bounce. The sensations echoed through their link and it made Yami pause as he tried to adjust to the dual levels of lust there were coursing through him—one his, the other belonging to Kaiba. His reactions only served as fuel to Yami's own desire and it became a mobius strip of passion and sensations echoing through their very fibers of existence.

It was hard to be mindful of pacing as Yami started to move in earnest, Kaiba meeting him with matching thrusts that made him writhe at the heights of pleasure. When Kaiba reached out to touch him, Yami denied him temporarily; he wasn't ready for the experience to be over yet and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold out with the added stimulation.

Not taking it personally, Kaiba instead lost himself in the beauty of movement and savored the physicality of Yami's newly formed body. When Yami shifted positions and deepened his thrusts, it made Kaiba arch up at the aggressive growl from the former spirit that cut right through him. As much as he had wanted to savor their reunion, the blinding need to be with each other dictated the harsher pace and Kaiba wasn't about to deny either one of them the pleasure. It drove him to disobey Yami and reach out to touch him in some way, needing that reassurance of contact.

Yami was too far gone to stop Kaiba's wandering hands and he tilted his head back as he called out, "Seto," and neared his peak. When one of Kaiba's hands strayed to Yami's member, the sudden spike in pleasure proved to be too much and the former pharaoh came hard. The sensation ricocheted through Kaiba and he was pushed to climax as a result, his body finally losing all of its tension as he came down from the peak.

For a few moments Yami was incapable of thought as he experienced Kaiba's orgasm as if it was his own, his body shuddering in reaction. As he looked down at his cum on Kaiba's stomach, Yami couldn't help but murmur, "_Mine_," back at his boyfriend, kissing him affectionately until the reincarnated priest pulled back slightly.

Rather than protesting at Yami's words as the former spirit feared, Kaiba merely made a face as he reminded, "Earlier I—"

Lifting himself off of Kaiba's cock, Yami leaned forward and kissed him aggressively to silence his complaint. Using the benefit of their link that was still thrumming between them, Yami channeled all of his feelings into it, rending Kaiba incapable of protesting as he reached up and embedded his fingers in tricolored hair and returned the passion.

When they parted for breath, Yami told him, "_All_ mine," as he stroked Kaiba's cheek with his fingers.

Kaiba didn't refute the claim; he merely reached up and hugged Yami close to his chest, completely forgetting about the mess between them in the intense flow of emotions from the other side of the connection. It felt so good to hold Yami in his arms again and Kaiba was momentarily overcome with the irrational desire to never let him go again. Kissing Yami's forehead, Kaiba murmured, "Yes," surprising himself and Yami both that he had actually said such a thing out loud.

Smiling broadly before kissing the part of Kaiba's neck he had the easiest access to, Yami melted further into the comfort.

Closing his eyes as he indulged himself in the fact that he finally had Yami back, Kaiba never him go, even after they drifted into the first real sleep they had before the whole trouble had happened.

* * *

**A/N:** So how's that for a welcome back? Hopefully worth the wait, ne?

So far things have been going well with my move to Japan and I thank all of you for your warm wishes!

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Really? No argument?" Yami asked with an eyebrow raised in surprise. _

Coming down the last arc before this fic concludes, believe it or not…

Next update will be on **Sunday, October 23rd**. Maybe by then I'll know which of the two directions I'm taking this fic~. But until then I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter!


	38. Chapter 38: Reclaiming

**Chapter 38: Reclaiming**

When Kaiba woke up, he was once again momentarily disoriented until he felt the reassuring presence of Yami by his side, still in a deep sleep as he recovered. Kaiba felt sluggish, but when he remembered the mess from their earlier activities, it was enough to motivate him to action. Yami's grip on him tightened when he tried to pull away and although it made Kaiba pause, he still managed to extract himself.

Heading into the bathroom, Kaiba brushed his teeth and took care of himself and the mess before setting the automatic controls on his oversized bathtub to fill. Only then did Kaiba finally return to his bedroom. As much as he wanted to let Yami rest, Kaiba need him awake to know if he was okay and to get him cleaned up as well; he could have the maids change the sheets and bring up some food while they bathed. It was an efficient plan and Kaiba set about waking Yami up, which was difficult enough on a normal day.

Shaking Yami earned him the barest twitch of an eyebrow and calling out to him had zero effect. Kaiba started debating the merits and disadvantages of just picking Yami up and putting him in the tub when he remembered the earlier complaint the former spirit had muttered at him earlier about thinking to loud.

He was surprised to find the link still seemed to be present, despite not having accessed the Millennium Puzzle or the powers lent to him by it. The connection lay dormant since Yami was still in a deep sleep, but Kaiba tried to mentally poke it in an attempt at garnering a reaction. Yami groaned at the disturbance and seemed to curl in on himself and Kaiba was startled when he felt the mental equivalent of a brush off echo through him at the same time.

Not to be deterred, Kaiba became more insistent in his prodding, combing it with another attempt at physically nudging Yami into waking up and he met with some success. Yami rolled over onto his back and cracked an eye open at Kaiba before making a quiet harrumphing noise of annoyance and trying to go back to sleep. "Oh no you don't," Kaiba told him, poking Yami in the side to try and keep him awake. "Come on. Bath. Food."

Making a moaning noise and rolling onto his stomach, Yami burrowed against a pillow and mumbled, "Later."

"No, now," Kaiba continued arguing, but without annoyance. He was still tired himself, although Kaiba was a bit taken aback by the lack of weakness he was experience. Minor connections had been enough to wipe him out for a day and anything more took multiple days until he felt normal. Chalking it up to having his soul strengthened from Seto's fragment that was apparently imbued with the powers of the former priest, Kaiba decided he could think further on it later. "You can sleep afterward."

"So tired, Seto," Yami complained with a sigh, even as he was clearly gaining more awareness.

"I know," Kaiba told him as he stroked Yami's cheek affectionately in silent encouragement. "I'll carry you there if I have to."

Taking Kaiba's hand into his and placing a sleepy kiss on it, Yami snuggled against it and made a soft noise of amusement. "You just want to carry me like a princess," Yami teased, starting to sound a little less lethargic.

"Would you rather be slung over my shoulder like a bag of rice?" Kaiba retorted with a snort at the ridiculousness of it.

"Food," Yami was reminded of, knowing his appetite was going to be downright ravenous later.

"Anything you want," Kaiba promised him, "but bath first. The food will be here when you're done."

"Fine," Yami finally agreed with a huff, not resisting when Kaiba helped pull him up into a sitting position. "Aibou? Jii-chan?"

Letting Yami take a moment to get his bearings, Kaiba answered, "Probably downstairs? If not, I'll have a car sent for them."

"Anzu-chan?" Yami wanted to know as he tried to move closer to the edge of the bed.

"I assumed she would be coming along with Yuugi," Kaiba said as he stooped down and picked up Yami.

"You don't mind?" Yami asked as he wrapped his arms around Kaiba's neck for support, not as surprised as he once would have been.

"She is welcome here," Kaiba stated, feeling awkward stating it despite the sincerity of his words.

Grinning to himself as he rested against Kaiba, Yami didn't ask about any of the rest of his friends; he knew he needed to build up some strength before he could engage with the whole group. "Thank you," Yami told him with a kiss to the underside of Kaiba's chin.

Assisting Yami into the bathtub, Kaiba asked, "What do you want to eat?"

"Anything's fine," Yami said, knowing that everything would taste divine. "I'll have whatever you're having?"

"I'll be right back," Kaiba promised, "so don't fall asleep, got it?"

Relaxing into the comforts of the water with a yawn, Yami made an affirmative noise as Kaiba went back into the bedroom for his phone. Making brusque orders to his staff to change the sheets and bring something light and nutritious for them to eat, Kaiba hurriedly returned to Yami's side and was pleased to see that he was still there and conscious.

"It'll be here once we're done," Kaiba told Yami as he eased himself into the water next to Yami.

"Thank you," Yami said as he used what little energy he had to situate himself on top of Kaiba's lap.

Wrapping his arms around Yami's waist and indulging in the warmth of the experience, Kaiba didn't feel the need to add anything other than his customary, "Mm."

Kissing the side of Kaiba's neck before nuzzling against his shoulder, Yami settled himself comfortably and basked in the sensation of existing once more. It caused him to notice with some surprise, "You're still here."

"I'm not the one who disappeared," Kaiba pointed out, his fondness softening his sarcasm slightly.

"I meant _here_," Yami clarified as he mentally poked at their link that was still connected without the Millennium Puzzle's presence.

It was a strange sensation and Kaiba wasn't exactly sure what it meant. "Maybe because I was the one that brought you back?" Kaiba suggested, finding the only logical answer amidst the vast amounts of illogical explanations.

"Because we were connected before," Yami surmised, turning the concept over in his mind even as he yawned.

"We can figure it out later," Kaiba decided, realizing that he needed to help Yami got clean before the former pharaoh ran out of energy.

Yami did what he could to help Kaiba with the bathing, but it was a bit of a relief when he was being toweled off and carried back to bed. "It's a shame you're not always this complacent," Kaiba teased as he settled Yami back into the bed and pleased to find clean sheets.

"You'd get bored if I was," Yami pointed out with a laugh as he snuggled against the fluffed up pillows and watched as Kaiba returned to the bathroom with a snort of amusement to drain the tub.

When Kaiba heard his maid knock lightly on the door, it made him wrap a towel around his waist as he exited with his cellphone in hand and granted permission to enter. He couldn't decide on what emotion to settle on when Ogata walked into the room with a tray of food and it didn't help when Yami burst into laughter, his reaction rippling lightly through their connection.

"What the hell are you doing here, Ogata?" Kaiba demanded with an irritated growl that only made the man in question smirk. He tried to get his reactions in check, channeling his emotions into nothing more than tightening his grip on his phone while curbing the urge to chuck it at Ogata.

"Serving you dinner, _obochama_," Ogata replied with a teasing bow and making Kaiba feel self-conscious as appreciative eyes saw more than he wanted. "I would have come in a French maid's uniform, but you didn't have any in my size, so I had to run with the contemporary butler look."

The comment caused Yami to laugh again and Kaiba tensed up as Ogata approached the bed with the tray, setting it down on the sheets. "Katsuro-kun," Yami greeted him warmly, barely holding back a snicker at the flair of annoyance he felt from Kaiba.

"Welcome back," Ogata said with a broad smile that made Kaiba's frown deepen. "Oh, relax, Seto. You might find this hard to believe, but I actually missed him, too. We all did."

"Thanks for all of your help," Yami told Ogata, hoping that the older man understood that he meant it on more levels than just the obvious one. He knew that Ogata had done his part in the search, but also in keeping Kaiba in check with a form of support that he could get from no one else. "Although I could have done without the bruises."

"You should see his," Kaiba boasted, knowing that as bad as the marks from their fight were, Ogata's were worse.

Rolling his eyes at the two of them, Yami still found himself laughing as Kaiba ordered Ogata out of the room. "Anything you want me to pass on to Yuugi-kun, Jii-chan, or Anzu-chan?" Ogata offered Yami, even as Kaiba started physically ushering him out of the room.

"I'll come down later," Yami said, knowing that Kaiba wouldn't take too kindly to having anyone else in the sanctuary of his room.

"Enjoy," Ogata teased with a playful wink that made Kaiba shove Ogata out of the room and slam the door behind him—but not before the man managed to snag the towel off with a victorious noise, despite not getting a glimpse of anything.

Even as Yami joined in the amusement, the sound of Ogata's laughter caused Kaiba to slam his hand hard against the door as a final show of displeasure as he called out, "There'll be hell to pay for that, Ogata!"

"Totally worth it!" Ogata shouted back, his laughter growing fainter as he walked down the hall.

"He's so dead," Kaiba muttered, fuming at the incident.

"You act like the towel had a reason to stay on after he left," Yama teased, trying to get Kaiba to lighten up some. "We both know it was destined for the floor the minute we were alone again. Besides, it's not like he saw or touched anything."

Even though it was true, the fact that Ogata had managed to do such a thing was annoying—all the more so because Yami was defending him. "It's the principle of the matter," Kaiba stubbornly argued, "and he will be punished for such a transgression against this Kaiba Seto!"

Resting the urge to roll his eyes, Yami continued trying to appeal to his irritated boyfriend. "Do you always have to be so mean to him?" Yami asked as he gestured for Kaiba to return to him. "He only has your best interests at heart."

"Do you always have to be so indulgent toward him?" Kaiba countered, finding it vexing that they had developed some pretense of friendship. "And you're wrong—he's a pervert at heart and I don't want to know what he's going to do with that towel."

Shrugging and trying not to snicker, Yami reasoned, "Regardless, he's good to us."

"He's irritating," Kaiba complained as he joined Yami in bed, careful not to disturb the tray of food between them.

Smiling knowingly, Yami leaned over and kissed Kaiba lightly on the lips before popping a grape into his mouth. "He's a friend and you know it," Yami argued.

"An obnoxious one," Kaiba muttered as he chewed, finding it hard to stay annoyed as Yami once again started to laugh. He hadn't realized how much he had missed the sound until then and it was easier to distract himself from the topic of Ogata.

Counting the admission as a victory, Yami smiled as he started to eat some fruit, moaning in sheer delight as the flavors burst on his tongue. "I missed food," Yami commented as he tried to pace himself so as not to get sick.

"I'm sure you missed a lot of things," Kaiba commented neutrally as he picked up a peach.

"I missed you most of all," Yami reassured Kaiba with a playful smile that hid the little flutter of sadness the connection betrayed.

Making a rather rude snort in his embarrassment, Kaiba could only say, "It's nice to know I win over a peach."

Turning so he could face Kaiba properly, Yami held his gaze as he insisted, "I mean it, Seto. Yes, I wanted to be back with aibou and Jii-chan, but you were the one I wanted to return to."

Reaching out and stroking Yami's cheek in an attempt to offer a silent comfort that could be mistaken for affection, Kaiba struggled to find the right words. There were things that needed to be said, but everything was still jumbled in his mind, especially when Yami looked down and softly added, "I just wanted to return to our life, you know?"

Kaiba did know, but still he remained silent as he withdrew, immediately causing Yami to start trying to explain himself, "Wait, Seto—"

Shushing Yami's concerns as he got off of the bed, Kaiba walked over to his desk where the Millennium Puzzle and Nefersherit's box were resting. Taking the lid off of the box, Kaiba was pleased to find the protection amulet alongside of the miniature Millennium Puzzle he had given to Yami on their anniversary and reclaimed from Hoshino. Wondering if it would still be okay to return under the recent circumstances, Kaiba decided that was for Yami to determine and he picked it up, arching an eyebrow when he felt a wisp of power from the other necklace.

Hiding the necklace in his fist, Kaiba returned to the bed, surprised by the anxious look on Yami's face. Taking his place back on the bed, Kaiba held out his hand as he said with some amount of trepidation, "Then I believe you'll be wanting this," before dropping the pendant into Yami's outstretched palm.

"You—you had another one made for me?" Yami asked in a small voice, looking up at Kaiba with awe. It had been painful to know that when he lost his body, he had left the necklace in a pile of clothes in his holding room at Hoshino's.

"No, that's yours," Kaiba explained, "and I took it back from her when I went to Okutama to meet up with that bitch to get you."

Holding it tightly in his hand before hugging Kaiba fiercely at an awkward angle, Yami whispered, "Thank you," over and over again in his ear. It meant so much to him to know that the first real gift Kaiba had ever given him hadn't been lost, that it was still his and imbued with new meaning.

Only after the first rush of emotions did Yami calm enough to ask with some amount of reservation, "What's going to happen to her?"

"Far less than what she deserves," Kaiba replied, trying to sound as neutral as he could about it. He had already had her minions dealt with in a manner to add to the growing pile of evidence against Hoshino that they were fabricating, but it would never feel like enough. "But there's no need to talk about such things."

Gesturing for Yami to cooperate, Kaiba put the necklace back in its rightful place, the gesture feeling far more intimate with him being awake for it this time. Everything seemed to take on a new meaning for Kaiba and he caressed Yami's neck, progressing up to his cheek. He leaned forward for a tender kiss that felt sad to Yami, causing him to ask, "The question is, are _you _going to be okay?"

"Everything is fine now," Kaiba reassured him, not wanting to talk about it. "Now eat."

"You didn't answer my question," Yami told him, frowning slightly despite not being surprised. However, he appeased Kaiba by eating some more fruit, torn between ravenously consuming it all or pacing himself like he knew he should.

"Yes," Kaiba stated, although Yami wasn't sure if that was an answer to his first question or agreeing with his last statement.

Deciding it could wait until he had energy later to deal with such things, Yami let it for the time being. "I'm probably going to crash soon," Yami warned him, knowing the suddenness it tended to happen with early on in his formation. He didn't feel as weakened as the first time Isis had done it, but he felt far from strong. "So don't worry if I randomly pass out for hours, okay?"

"How reassuring," Kaiba said sarcastically, adding an eye roll for good measure.

"You should rest, too," Yami gently counseled, knowing he was probably going to be rejected. "After expending so much energy, it might help…."

Although Kaiba's natural inclination was to argue against such things, he knew it would probably be a good idea, despite feeling like he could answer a few emails and take care of some minor business. But the thought of leaving Yami for such a thing at the moment was distasteful; Kaiba knew it would eventually return to normal, but for the present, it was enough just to be near him. "I will," Kaiba promised, taking a piece of fruit for himself.

"Really? No argument?" Yami asked with an eyebrow raised in surprise.

Something still didn't feel entirely settled within him after Seto's merging with him and Kaiba knew the extra sleep would probably do him some good; he felt like he hadn't slept since the whole ordeal started. Rather than answering verbally, Kaiba just shrugged and continued eating. He could see Yami starting to get sleepier and Kaiba questioned, "Do you need anything else?"

"For you to come here," Yami answered without hesitation, done with the food for the time being; he knew the consequences of overindulgence so early on in the process and wasn't keen to repeat it.

Moving the tray onto the nightstand, Kaiba had barely gotten himself situated under the covers before Yami was pressed up against his side and curled on his chest. Kaiba smiled faintly before wrapping his arms around Yami, once again at peace, despite the odd fluttering feeling inside his mind that he recognized as Yami's own contentment. He enjoyed it while he could; he knew that the thoughts and reflections on what had happened and what it all meant would plague him in the days to come. But for now, with Yami at his side, it was okay just to be by him.

"I still need to talk to Mokuba," Yami mumbled, the sleepiness starting to take hold faster now that he was horizontal and comfortable.

"After you rest," Kaiba agreed, kissing Yami on the top of the head. "For now, sleep."

Smiling to himself and tightening his grip in a facsimile of a hug, Yami murmured wordlessly in happiness as he snuggled closer still. Kaiba lay awake for awhile and listened to the steady sound of Yami's breathing, enjoying the solid weight of him on his chest. Eventually, Kaiba drifted off to sleep himself, safe in the knowledge that Yami would still be there when he awoke.

* * *

**A/N: **Not much to add here, so moving right along…

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Eventually we're going to have to get out of bed," Kaiba answered, although he offered real protest._

At this point I'm not 100 percent positive that I'm going to update this story next week. I'm still struggling a little with the direction to take things in _Lost & Found_, so I don't want to commit and then disappoint. Having said that, I still have something else I could post or I may end up finishing Chapter 39. Regardless, **something** will go up on **Sunday, October 30th**, so please be sure to keep an eye out for it!


	39. Chapter 39: Reacquainted

**Chapter 39: Reacquainted**

Mokuba had been unable to stay away any longer, needing to see for himself that his brother and Yami were okay after their ordeal. Entering Kaiba's room cautiously, Mokuba wasn't surprised to see his older brother curled around Yami, protecting him even in sleep. He had just intended to get the food tray and see with his own eyes that everything was fine before leaving, but Yami stirred slightly and Mokuba approached his side of the bed.

It was more of a relief than it should have been for Mokuba to see scarlet eyes staring back at him. The rush of feeling started to overwhelm Mokuba and he could feel his eyes start to water as he realized that Yami was back for real. Doing his best to hold back his emotions, Mokuba whispered, "Hi," through his emotional turmoil.

Smiling softly at Mokuba, Yami greeted him with a nod and asked, "Feel up to our game later?"

Not trusting himself to say anything more than, "Mm," Mokuba nodded and tried not to lose this composure in front of Yami.

Stifling a yawn, Yami murmured, "I'd like that," as he snuggled back into Kaiba's possessive hold.

Sensing that Yami was starting to drift back to sleep, Mokuba reached out and nudged his arm, his fingers reflexively twitching at the solidity of the former pharaoh's reclaimed body. "Are you really going to be okay?" Mokuba hesitantly asked, hating the waver he heard his voice betray.

"He'll be fine, Mokuba," Kaiba muttered, nuzzling Yami's hair and inhaling deeply as he tried not to lose the sleepy feeling being wrapped around Yami once more brought him. "Go back to bed."

Mokuba started to correct his brother that it was the middle of the afternoon, but thought better of it. "Okay," Mokuba agreed before backing out of the room and leaving them alone.

Yami wanted to reprimand Kaiba for the abrupt dismissal of Mokuba, but sleep was too quick to reclaim him.

* * *

The feeling of eyelashes feathering against his neck drew Kaiba from sleep and he jerked awake with a gasp, his body immediately on the defensive. Yami cried out when Kaiba's body collided with his face, causing him to sit up and rub the sore spot. Kaiba stared wide-eyed for a moment until he realized what had happened. Reaching out to steady Yami and assess the damage, Kaiba apologized "Shit, I'm sorry, Yami, I—"

"It's okay," Yami interrupted to reassure him, still rubbing his nose. "Are you?"

"Your nose isn't that sharp," Kaiba retorted, reaching out and touching for himself to see that there was no damage.

Taking Kaiba's hand in his and lowering it, Yami said, "That's not what I meant."

"Then?" Kaiba prompted.

Yami had felt the flash of sheer panic from Kaiba's end and it concerned him, especially since he knew who was most likely responsible for the reaction. Squeezing Kaiba's hand, Yami leaned forward and kissed him gently, pressing them back down to the bed until he was comfortably on top where he belonged. "Better now?" Yami asked as he stroked Kaiba's neck soothingly.

"Eventually we're going to have to get out of bed," Kaiba answered, although he offered real protest.

Pouting a little, Yami conceded, "I know," and let his fingers trail down Kaiba's chest in soothing patterns. "And get dressed…"

"That, too," Kaiba agreed, although he wasn't eager to rejoin the others. "Once you feel up to it, of course."

"Of course," Yami repeated with a smirk.

"You should be resting," Kaiba reminded Yami, although it was mostly to remind himself.

"_We_ should be resting," Yami corrected, before laying down and resting on Kaiba's chest.

Wrapping his arms around Yami and holding him close to his chest, Kaiba basked in the solid weight of form pressing against him, the rightness of the feeling. "Then just a little bit longer," Kaiba decided, selfishly refusing to give Yami up yet.

Snuggling closer, Yami sighed in deep contentment as he luxuriated under Kaiba's gentle caresses on his back. "Mm," Yami hummed before closing his eyes once more and drifting off into sleep.

* * *

"I'm not your throne, you know," Kaiba dryly commented to Yami as the former pharaoh situated himself comfortably on his lap.

"They're not here yet, so what does it matter?" Yami countered with a placating kiss on Kaiba's cheek.

"You'd be doing this even if they were here," Kaiba pointed out as he rolled his eyes, earning him a laugh.

Grinning knowingly, Yami asked, "Then what's the problem?"

Wrapping his arm lightly around Yami's waist, Kaiba didn't bother to answer the question. Instead, he wondered, "What's taking them so long?"

"Sorry, that's my fault," Anzu apologized as she entered the living room with Yuugi following right behind her. "My parents called and—"

"It's fine," Kaiba waved it away, not interested in the longwinded explanation.

"Everything is," she agreed brightly before hugging Yami fiercely and startling Kaiba in the process due to her sudden proximity. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"I'll bet," Kaiba muttered, earning him a glare over Yami's shoulder from Anzu.

"And _not_ for the reason you're implying," Anzu clarified before letting go and straightening up, but there was the slightest hint of a blush that made Kaiba smirk with a rude noise of disbelief. "Oh, stop that!"

Her protests just made Kaiba's smirk wider, especially once he looked over and saw how flushed Yuugi was. "Phone call, was it?" Kaiba prompted Yuugi with a laugh, earning him an elbow jab from Yami.

"You're one to talk," Ogata's voice interrupted from the doorway, immediately ruining Kaiba's good humor. Ignoring the angry glare his entrance earned him, Ogata proceeded with his plan, knowing it would be harder for Kaiba to get rid of him when there was a group of people surrounding him. "Speaking of which, I need to talk to you for a bit."

"Later," Kaiba told him dismissively, not wanting to hear anything his subordinate had to say to him.

"Actually, now's as good a time as any," Ogata tried to persuade him. "After all, I'm sure Yami has a lot of catching up to do with them…"

Misunderstanding Kaiba's annoyance, Yami promised, "I'll be fine. Go," as he slid off of his lap and onto the couch.

Realizing Ogata had just successfully played him, Kaiba got up with a growl and stalked after his employee who led the way toward his downstairs den. "This better be important," Kaiba warned as he shut the doors behind them.

Taking a seat in one of the high back leather chairs, Ogata made himself comfortable as he explained, "I wanted to congratulate you on getting Yami back."

"Not necessary," Kaiba dismissively said and started toward the exit.

"How did you do it?" Ogata asked, causing Kaiba to freeze in place.

With the chaotic unfolding of events, Kaiba hadn't thought of a proper lie to explain how Yami had returned. He knew that Ogata would sense a hole in the lie, so Kaiba tried to stick to vagaries. "I brought him back," Kaiba answered over his shoulder, "and that's all you need to know."

"How?" Ogata persisted, finding Kaiba's edgy behavior very unusual. "And better yet, from where?"

"All that matters is that he's back safely," Kaiba snapped as he turned around to glare at Ogata.

"Why are you getting so defensive about this?" Ogata wanted to know, his suspicions confirmed by Kaiba's refusal to answer him properly.

Taking a steadying breath, Kaiba denied, "I'm not being defensive about this. I've told you all you need to know, so drop it."

"If you didn't want me to worry, you would stop acting so suspicious and just tell me what happened," Ogata pointed out to Kaiba.

"I don't pay you to worry about me," Kaiba snapped, annoyed that Ogata's point was entirely too valid.

"That's because I do it for free," Ogata shot back, finally getting out of the chair and approaching his boss to close the distance between them.

"No, it's because you're an idiot," Kaiba insulted him in a haughty tone that made Ogata narrow his eyes in displeasure.

"Regardless," Ogata said as he came to stand in front of his boss, "I want answers."

"And I want you to leave it alone," Kaiba replied, refusing to back away.

Studying Kaiba carefully, Ogata murmured, "What are you trying so hard to hide?"

"This conversation is over," Kaiba decided, needing to get away and think of a better answer to give than the truth.

When Kaiba turned to walk away from him, Ogata reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop his boss. "Why are you trying so hard to hide this?" Ogata rephrased his question, trying to understand what was happening.

Pulling his wrist free, Kaiba replied, "Because it has nothing to do with you."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Ogata immediately denied. "So what, did you kill Hoshino or something?"

"No."

"One of her minions?"

"I didn't kill anyone," Kaiba growled, "although I might make an exception for you if you keep this up."

"Did you only maim them?" Ogata tried again, but that just earned him a disgusted noise from his boss. "Then what?"

Turning away again, Kaiba stated, "I've had enough of this."

"Then I guess I'll just have to ask Yami later," Ogata told him in an airy voice that carried a threat despite the casual tone.

"I forbid it!" Kaiba ordered and for a single moment Ogata thought he saw something flash in those blue eyes. "Leave him out of this."

"Then answer my questions," Ogata warned, not wanting to be reduced to asking Yami after such a traumatic experience.

After considering his options, Kaiba finally forced himself to answer, "I found him in a basement in Domino City. Nothing happened, there was no security, no story to tell."

"That doesn't make sense," Ogata said, finding it hard to believe.

"He was too weak to walk out by himself and you had that whore otherwise occupied," Kaiba told him with a slight sneer of disgust at the mention of Hoshino.

"And how did you find him in this random basement?" Ogata wanted to know. "Out of _all_ the basements in Domino City, you just happened upon the unguarded right one? You honestly expect me to accept that?"

Kaiba didn't blame Ogata for not believing him, but he continued with his vague answers, "An outside source informed me."

"I find that hard to believe," Ogata skeptically commented.

"You act like you're my only source of information," Kaiba said with a shrug. "I _do_ have other informants, after all."

Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, Ogata demanded, "And which of your sources found information that I couldn't?"

"Someone who is clearly more skilled than you," Kaiba retorted.

"I don't believe you."

Shrugging again, Kaiba said, "Then that's your problem, not mine."

"If you won't tell me, I'll be forced to investigate and find out for myself," Ogata tried, hoping it would act as incentive for his boss; he knew how much Kaiba hated it when he poked around for that sort of personal information.

"Do what you want on your own time, but leave Yami out of it," Kaiba told him with a dismissive wave of his hand, knowing that there was no way for Ogata to find out the truth. "And don't you dare try to put in billable hours for it, got it?"

Before Ogata could reply, there was a timid knock at the door that Kaiba refused to admit he felt relief at hearing. Kaiba opened the door and wasn't exactly surprised to see Yuugi standing before him, shifting from foot to foot as he said, "Mokuba-kun's on the phone and wants to talk to you."

Kaiba knew his phone was in his pocket, so he assumed Yami had sent Yuugi as a way out of his agitated state that he must have picked up through their connection. Now that he wasn't so focused on Ogata, he could feel a hint of Yami's concern brushing against the back of his mind. "Thanks," he told Yuugi as he started to follow him.

"I _will_ find out the truth," Ogata called after him, "whether you want me to or not!"

"Yeah, good luck with that," Kaiba sarcastically muttered under his breath, knowing it was impossible. If nothing else, it gave him some time to fabricate something for Ogata to find; the older man was good at his job, but Kaiba would always be better.

"Is everything okay?" Yuugi asked, finding it an odd comment when combined with Yami's request to go get Kaiba.

Not wanting to involve anyone else, Kaiba merely shrugged and walked into another room to pretend to take the phone call. Shutting the door behind him once more, Kaiba heavily dropped onto the couch with a swear, knowing he had just messed up and needed to fix it before Ogata made it even worse. His mind still felt sluggish and Kaiba felt something uncomfortable shifting inside of him that he ignored. Kaiba knew he should take the time to think of a believable story, but he just didn't feel up to it quite yet. All he wanted to do was curl up in bed with Yami again, but he also didn't want to cut short his the reunion with Yuugi and Anzu.

Pulling out his phone, Kaiba decided to call his brother and check up on him before rejoining Yami and the others in the living room. Maybe by then he would feel more settled inside and could think a little more clearly.

* * *

**A/N:** So after all my fussing last week, turns out I managed to finish this one. It didn't turn out quite the way I hoped, but hopefully you still enjoy it.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_So you actually managed to bring him back," Bakura commented, sounding half impressed and half disgusted by it. "Nicely done. Make any adjustments to that horrible personality of his while you were at it?"_

Next chapter will go up on **Sunday, November 6th**. Man, this year is just flying! Maybe with some luck, I'll finish this fic before the end of the year…? New year, new fic. Sounds like a good goal to me~.


	40. Chapter 40: Forewarned

**Chapter 40: Forewarned**

Yami's first day back at school was a chaotic and energetic frenzy of emotions that left Kaiba exhausted and downright irritable at all the fangirling glee from the Pharaoh's Harem. Even though Kaiba could clearly sense Yami's amusement, there was an undercurrent of exhaustion. It concerned him that Yami was pushing himself too hard too fast, but Yami's permanent stability of his body was a small reassurance.

Kaiba knew that he needed to keep his distance from Yami at school—not that he would have had much luck trying to wade through the crowds of well wishers welcoming him back so enthusiastically. So Kaiba contented himself to keeping watch from above, grateful for the reprieve from Yami's in class boredom that led to him testing the limits of their connection with perverse emotions bombarding him at random.

The first premonition of something wrong was a deep stirring inside of him that Kaiba didn't have time to process before he felt arms wrapping around him and a body pressing close to his back, "_Unhand me_," Kaiba hissed, trying to figure out how to block his emotional reaction from alerting Yami.

Completely disregarding the command, Bakura looked past Kaiba to see the group congregating around Yami below on the lawn for lunch. "So you actually managed to bring him back," Bakura commented, sounding half impressed and half disgusted by it. "Nicely done. Make any adjustments to that horrible personality of his while you were at it?"

Forcing Bakura back and turning around to properly face him, Kaiba was startled when he was slammed hard against the windows and pinned. "You couldn't have done it without me," Bakura reminded Kaiba, looking up at him with predatory glee. "You would do well to remember that."

"Oh, I'll repay you," Kaiba said in a voice that promised violence, meaning it as a threat only to have it misinterpreted.

Tossing his head back with a wanton moan, Bakura's hips instinctively moved against Kaiba's. "Sounds more like you intend to _punish_ me," Bakura purred, his eyes bright with dark desires.

The look of sheer need and desperate hunger in Bakura's eyes startled Kaiba, freezing him with the intensity of it as Bakura writhed against him. It took a moment to remember that he was free from Bakura's usual methods of manipulations and he could no longer be held prisoner; never again did he have to fear that paralyzing power the thief had once held over him. Reversing their positions and slamming Bakura face first against the windows, Kaiba felt vile disgust rising within him when it caused the thief to moan in pleasure at the rough treatment. "I will take this to the Shadow Realm and end this once and for all if you come near us again," Kaiba warned, focusing on his fury to drown out the low level hum in his head that was starting to burn and felt suspiciously like the priest making himself known once more. He had thought he had managed to get the fragment under his control permanently, but stirrings like this were starting to make Kaiba paranoid about the far-reaching implications. Now was not the time for such thoughts, though.

"Referring to yourself as the royal 'we,' now?" Bakura mocked, being deliberately obtuse and earning him a hard hit of his head against the window for his troubles.

"Stay away from him or so help me, you'll face the full wrath of my powers and you will _lose_," Kaiba threatened, the urge to carry his threat out now far too tempting.

"As exciting as _that_ sounds," Bakura replied, "I don't need him to get to you anymore."

A cold dread hit Kaiba hard and he demanded, "Meaning?"

"He's not the only one close to you that you care about," Bakura answered with a perverse laugh that made Kaiba turn him around for answers. The feeling of Kaiba's fingers around his throat, holding him just tight enough for the threat of strangulation to be real made Bakura keen lowly as his body arched toward the former priest's. "I can have more _fun _with someone else. The pharaoh as he is now is far too boring now."

"I will stab you were you stand if you—"

The feral glint of lethal intentions in Kaiba's ice blue eyes made Bakura feel a jolt of arousal, but it wasn't enough to cloud his judgment on what was happening. Interrupting Kaiba's murderous threat, Bakura assured him, "Relax, I'm not after your precious little brother. He's too young for my tastes anyway."

Kaiba searched Bakura's eyes for any trace of deceit, but he found none present. It confused him, because if Bakura wasn't after Mokuba or Yami, that left no one else. However, Bakura wasn't one for idle threats, so Kaiba was still on edge over the perceived warning. Before Kaiba could say anything, Bakura reached up and stroked his cheek and said in a soft voice, "Even I'm not so low I would use Mokuba against you. I know you remember enough to know that."

The words triggered a flashback of the priest listening to the thief's tale of woe after too much whine about his violated and murdered sister; Bakura didn't miss the flinch that gave Kaiba's knowledge of it away. "What are you trying to gain?" Kaiba finally asked, more confused than ever about Bakura's intentions. "You've clearly lost, so why are you still pursuing…_this_?"

Arrogantly laughing at Kaiba's struggle to find an appropriate word, Bakura trailed his fingers down the former priest's neck and felt him swallow hard in response. "Because it's always been worth it," Bakura answered with a guarded look of sadness at Kaiba.

The expression made the darkness inside of Kaiba shift again and he grit his teeth against it. "Why do you keep saying such things?" Kaiba demanded, wishing there was a way to get rid of the thief permanently.

"Because it's still true," Bakura answered simply with a shrug that infuriated Kaiba at its casualness. "It's always been true."

"Or maybe you just like the abuse," Kaiba corrected in disgust as he pulled away.

"Almost as much as you enjoy dishing it out," Bakura retorted with a dirty leer that set Kaiba's nerves on edge.

"I do _not_ enjoy this," Kaiba insisted, his annoyance flaring up at the implications before he could clamp down on the emotion from alerting Yami.

"Really?" Bakura hummed with interest, clearly not believing Kaiba's assertion in the least. "Because from here, it looks like your interest in what I'm doing stems from an obsession with me."

"_What_?" Kaiba asked in an outraged and indignant tone. "There is something seriously wrong with you if you think that I—"

Closing the distance between them faster than Kaiba thought possible, Bakura pressed close as he interrupted to taunt, "Then why haven't you walked away yet? Why are you still here arguing with me when you know I can't keep you in place with your soul anymore? There is nothing stopping you from walking out that door and ignoring me, _Kaiba_."

The words hit Kaiba harder than a punch and he blustered, "W-what exactly are you implying?"

Glancing over his shoulder and seeing Yami's absence from the Yuugi-tachi, Bakura knew the former pharaoh had probably spotted them and was on his way to interfere. "Figure it out," Bakura told him in an airy voice as he stepped out of Kaiba's personal space. Making a break for the door, Bakura paused and looked at Kaiba with an enigmatic smile that once again filled the former priest with a bad feeling. "Oh, and Kaiba? You should watch the news tonight."

Bakura was gone before Kaiba could ask what he meant and Yami entered the room too quickly for him to process anything that had just happened. He was feeling too unsteady when Yami entered, accepting his boyfriend's embrace and returning it fiercely without his normal complaints. "What happened?" Yami asked, looking up at Kaiba and trying to judge his mood. Even though he could feel that the rage has subsided somewhat, there was still an uneasiness lingering that made Yami nervous.

"I don't know," Kaiba said completely unsettled by it all and utterly confused. "He's up to something, I just don't know what."

"Yet you let him walk out the door unharmed," Yami dryly commented, although he was grateful for Ryou's sake.

"He said you were too boring now and swore he wouldn't go after Mokuba," Kaiba said in a distracted voice, his mind still trying to ignore the latter part of the conversation in order to try and piece together Bakura's intentions.

"And you believe him?" Yami indignantly demanded, staring at Kaiba incredulously.

Kaiba's immediate confirmation made him stop short of saying anything, but Yami noticed anyway. "You actually believe him," Yami realized in shock. "Since when?"

"He knows better," Kaiba lamely lied, unable to bring himself to say the real reason why.

"How did Mokuba come into it anyway?" Yami wanted to know, finding it strange that Kaiba's younger brother would come up in the conversation at all.

"Because he said he didn't need to go after you when there was someone else I care about," Kaiba said with a shrug, wanting to dismiss the issue and yet unable to.

"And it's not Mokuba," Yami said, trying to figure out what Bakura was aiming at now.

"No, and even if he _did_, Mokuba could take care of him and then I would end him, simple as that."

"He might be going after Katsuro-kun," Yami realized with a start.

Scoffing at the notion, Kaiba waved a dismissive hand as he took a step back and out of the hold. "Ogata? That's ridiculous," Kaiba told Yami, stepping back a bit when he thought he heard someone coming.

"_Seto_," Yami reprimanded him in a disapproving tone, "think about it."

It wasn't that Kaiba cared about his wayward employee, but he could picture all too well how Bakura would use Ogata to get closer to whatever his goal was. The saving grace was that Ogata rarely kept his conquests for more than a night or long weekend, but it wasn't completely unheard of either. "_Shit_," Kaiba swore as he closed his eyes and clenched his fists, trying to control his temper. He could feel the anger so quick to rise to the surface, but he tried to keep it under control, sensing the recoiling echo from Yami through their shared connection that was still very much present.

"What?" Yami asked in confusion, not recognizing the word Kaiba used although he could guess well enough.

Misunderstanding Yami's confusion, assuming it was over his conclusion rather than his switching to the baser dialect he had picked up from the thief in the past, Kaiba muttered, "I don't think he's ever been with an albino," knowing that Ogata wouldn't mind adding someone like Bakura as another notch in the bedpost.

It was inappropriate to laugh, but the sheer certainty of Kaiba's voice over that knowledge made Yami want to laugh despite the seriousness of the situation; he refrained. "Are you going to warn him?" Yami asked, wondering if he should fear for Ogata's safety.

"That would just drive him closer to pursing Bakura out of curiosity," Kaiba answered, knowing Ogata was contrary enough to do such a thing. "Besides, it might already be too late."

"What are you going to do?"

"Watch the news tonight and hope he doesn't show up as the main story," Kaiba muttered, although he doubted Bakura would try to murder his associate; besides, Ogata could take care of himself.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Yami looked up at Kaiba in concern and asked, "What? Why would he show up on the news?"

"Don't worry about it," Kaiba told him, kissing Yami's forehead and startling them both at the uncharacteristic action. Clearing his throat and adverting his eyes in his embarrassment, Kaiba gestured for Yami to follow. "It's almost time for class."

Rubbing his forehead where Kaiba had kissed him, Yami felt a little bubble of warmth well up inside of him that caused Kaiba to scowl as he felt an echo of the sentiment. "So is it okay if I come by after school to play a few rounds with Mokuba? I know you have work, but…."

"Like you have to ask?" Kaiba retorted, but there was no heat in his voice. "Maybe we can have a rematch when you're done."

Brightening into a wide smile, Yami grasped Kaiba's hand and gave it a quick squeeze before letting go as he said, "I'd like that."

"I'll like defeating you better," Kaiba replied with an arrogant laugh that made Yami chuckle.

"You'll have to wait for your chance in bed, then," Yami shot back with a flirty wink and a rush of hormones that made Kaiba shiver and forget about his disquieted emotions over what had just occurred.

"Like I have to wait until then?" Kaiba retorted, resisting the urge to shake his head and dislodge the flame of lust that Yami kept trying to stoke. "Seriously, you have to stop doing that."

Batting his eyes playfully, Yami innocently asked, "Doing what?"

"You know what," Kaiba muttered as he poked at the link for emphasis, although his only complaint was that they couldn't capitalize on it until after he got home from work. "You've missed enough school as it is."

"Which means you're going to have to tutor me," Yami said, before impishly adding, "all night long."

Kaiba didn't hold back the perverse smirk the comment inspired and he focused on their banter instead of the dread that was still lurking deep inside of him over Bakura's earlier words.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay on this one, but it was beyond my control this time around, sadly. Some idiot in my building keeps crashing the internet network and I haven't had internet for over a week and a half. They're still trying to fix the problem with a server upgrade, but it could be another two to four weeks of this bullshit sporadic access. So **if there is a delay**, it's because my internet failed. It's frustrating, I know. But I'm lucky that I had it this long to even post this up, so let's hope it holds.

Also, there were a few throwbacks here to **Catnip Dream **and **Another Lesson **just for fun.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Seto, what are you doing?"_

"_Finding out if it was worth it," Kaiba sneered, not a trace of blue remaining in his eyes._

I originally had some trepidation about this arc, but hopefully it's still enjoyable...

Provided that I don't lose my internet again, the next update will be a very long one that's posted on **Sunday, November 20th**. Otherwise, keep an eye out on my Twitter feed that I can still access from my phone for updates on my access issues.


	41. Chapter 41: Lurking from Within

**Chapter 41: Lurking from Within**

Despite his earlier good mood during school, Kaiba's disposition gradually worsened throughout the long hours at work. Ogata was nowhere to be found, nor did anyone know where he was; it wasn't uncommon when the man was undercover, but Kaiba couldn't shake the bad feeling. He wanted to call Ogata, but Kaiba's paranoia that it would somehow lead Bakura straight to the man prevented him from doing as such.

It had been a relief to leave for home, although Kaiba suspected that had more to do with knowing that Yami was waiting there for him to return. Although he was loathe to admit it, having Yami close made him feel just a little bit better, as did the tenuous link that still lingered between them. Without being able to communicate whole thoughts with words through telepathy like Yuugi, it felt less like an invasion of privacy and more like a benefit of insight into Yami's complicated and continuously fluctuating emotions. Kaiba kept expecting it to disappear, wondering if it would wear off the longer Yami remained, but it felt as strong as the day they discovered it; Kaiba was just grateful he no longer found it exhausting.

Everything was quiet in the house and although Kaiba was inclined to go straight to the dueling room to watch his brother battle Yami, he decided to go change first. Having the time to unwind and compartmentalize himself from business mode to brother mode was important and Kaiba loosened his tie on the way to his bedroom. He had made it back too late for dinner, but he suspected that his brother and Yami wouldn't be opposed to dessert afterward.

Once he was changed into more casual clothes, Kaiba went downstairs and intended to go meet up with his brother and Yami. However, as he passed the empty game room with a television, Kaiba paused and had a momentary urge to turn it on and see just what the hell Bakura had been hinting at in the classroom earlier. Checking his watch, he saw that the evening news would have started, but he chaffed at the thought of doing what Bakura had told him.

Still, his need to know won out of his pride, because the threat was too random for coincidences. Turning on the light as he entered the room, Kaiba picked up the remote and turned on the TV to a local station, refusing to sit down and commit himself to what he was doing. The lead story was finishing, something about yet another political scandal leading to another resignation. It wasn't of any interest to Kaiba and he felt foolish for even thinking of listening to Bakura.

As Kaiba considered shutting off the television and pretending he never caved to such a ridiculous impulse, the broadcast anchor announced, "Our other lead story involves the mysterious murder of three people. Furutaku Nobu-san, 24; Muramoto Wataru-san, 31; and Hoshino Haruna-san, 45 were all found brutally murdered in the home of Tanaka Takeshi-san, the CEO of Sanshiro Securities. Currently, Tanaka-san is under investigation for the crime, but is fully cooperating in the investigation. Other leads…."

The rest of the report was lost to the rush of blood to the head at what he was seeing. Pictures of the three people were up on the screen and seeing Hoshino's face sent Kaiba into a blind rage realizing that she was dead and revenge was denied—possibly because of Bakura and having to do with Ogata. The realization of a lost opportunity sent Kaiba over the edge and he threw the remote at the television, shattering the screen into a sparking darkness. He was vibrating with the strength of his rage and Kaiba didn't know what he was going to do, but he was going to _ruin_ someone. All of his planning, all of the suffering, all of the injustices going unpunished was unacceptable and Kaiba felt a pressure building up inside of him, just begging for release.

"Seto, what the hell?" Yami asked in a worried voice as he rushed into the room, looking from the broken screen to Kaiba. He could feel the rage hitting up against him, but Yami didn't understand the source of it and something warned him that he would like it even less once he knew. "What happened?"

"Whoa, nii-sama! What'd you do to the TV?" Mokuba echoed as he entered, having run out of the living room when they heard the loud bang.

Turning around to face them, both of them were shocked to see Kaiba's normally blue eyes an unnatural gold that betrayed the influence of his powers. The third eye lay dormant, but that was hardly the thing to be focusing on with the raw power that seemed to be rolling off of Kaiba in waves. Kaiba still couldn't bring himself to say anything, because it would mean speaking such a horrible thing into existence and he wasn't ready to accept it yet.

"_What happened_?" Yami repeated in their ancient tongue, trying to refocus Kaiba's attentions. His breath caught in his throat at having the full intensity of that golden gaze on him, finding it beautiful despite the premonition of danger they inspired.

"_He interfered_," Kaiba finally answered, narrowing his eyes in displeasure. "_I will not be denied revenge!"_

"_Who interfered with what_?" Yami questioned, trying to understand what was causing the murderous rage emanating from Kaiba.

"_I will have it one way or the other,_" Kaiba swore, knowing it wouldn't be as satisfying extracting it from Bakura as Hoshino, but he would enjoy the retribution all the same.

Mokuba was even more lost than Yami and he interrupted, "Nii-sama, what happened?"

Before Kaiba could answer, Ogata rounded the corner and entered the room with a bright, "So this is where everyone ended up," without realizing the situation he was walking into with his employer.

"_You!_" Kaiba hissed, his rage hitting new heights and making Yami wince, instantly drawing Mokuba's attention. "How _dare_ you!"

Holding his hands up in a placating gesture, Ogata defended himself, "I'm here because Yami invited me, so—"

"What have you _done_?" Kaiba demanded, taking a step closer and sneering when it made Ogata instinctually take a step back from him.

"Pissed you off, apparently," Ogata quipped, realizing too late that it was the wrong answer.

Gesturing with his hand, Ogata was slammed into the nearest wall without being touched; it left him gasping after the air was knocked out of him. As Kaiba approached, the shadows started to revolt and Ogata's eyes went wide as he asked, "What's going on? What the hell are you?"

"Someone with the power to end you if you don't tell me why you _betrayed_ me," Kaiba answered with a calmness that was in stark contrast to the violence in his eyes.

"I would never betray you," Ogata swore, holding Kaiba's gaze to try and convey his sincerity. The echoing protests of Yami and Mokuba that Ogata wouldn't do that were completely disregarded as Kaiba stared at the man in question, trying to read any trace of a lie. Still, the tightness in his chest refused to abate with empty words without proof, so Kaiba persisted.

"Then why are they _dead_?" Kaiba yelled, pointing back at the shattered screen as if the images were still on it. The screen splintered further, frightening Mokuba as he stared helplessly at his brother and his shocking display of power.

"Who?" Ogata asked, still not understanding what had set his boss off on such a tirade. The threat of the situation stopped Ogata from pushing for answers as to his boss' condition, but only temporarily.

Ignoring Ogata's response, Kaiba continued throwing questions at him, "How could you be so stupid? This is a new low, even for you."

"_Who_?" Ogata shouted at his boss, trying not to panic when he couldn't free himself.

"That whore and her two minions are _dead_ and you have the audacity to stand there and pretend like you have no idea what's going on?" Kaiba sneered, feeling another explosion of anger in his mind at saying it out loud.

"She's _what_?" Ogata asked in shock, a question echoed by Yami and Mokuba. "So she's dead and you just _assume_ I'm responsible?"

Taking a step closer still, just a few inches away from touching, Kaiba replied, "Whether you pulled the trigger or gave someone else the opportunity through your ignorance, it's _your_ fault she's dead, Ogata."

"The only ignorant one here is you," Ogata shot back, "and I'm seriously resenting these implications. Trust me, I would have loved to murder that lying bitch, but—"

"—but he felt so good under you that you got distracted?" Kaiba interrupted to finish, his voice barely louder than a murmur.

"Seto, that's enough!" Yami finally intervened, not liking the direction things were heading. Kaiba clearly wasn't willing to listen to reason and things were quickly getting out of hand.

Tilting his head in Yami's general direction without taking his eyes off of Ogata, Kaiba ordered in the ancient language, "_Stay out of it_."

Although his first instinct was to become indignant over the brush off, Yami recognized things were going on that were impacting Kaiba too deeply to be rational. "_Do you hear yourself_?" Yami tried to reason with him, but the only answer he received was a flash of annoyance at the interruption.

"_Stay out of this or I'm going to take this to a place where you can't follow_," Kaiba warned in a voice that was not his own, not wanting to do it, but he would get his answers one way or the other.

"_What's that supposed to mean_?" Yami questioned, not liking the ominous threat.

The temperature of the room dropped drastically as the shadows began to rise, the room starting to dissolve into the Shadow Realm, the eerie fog rolling through the room. A few chanted words were all it took to bring the Realm under his control, narrowing the field to contain just him and Ogata. "_Stand down_," Kaiba warned for the final time, raising the wall of shadows until they were almost obscured from Yami's view.

As much as Yami didn't want to, the display of power was too unnerving; he couldn't compete against Kaiba in his current state and it would be foolish to try in his weakened condition. "_Just don't hurt him_," Yami finally conceded with a sigh, "_or else I _will_ get involved. Understood_?_"_

Rather than answering with words, Kaiba dropped the connection with the Shadow Realm, everything restoring itself with the fog the last thing to clear. "Now answer me," Kaiba ordered Ogata, done with the show of power.

When Ogata glanced over at Yami for some guidance, he was startled when Kaiba reached up and grabbed his chin to force him to look into enraged gold. "You will look at _me_," Kaiba insisted, pulling their faces until they were close enough to give Ogata bad ideas, "and you will answer my question, _Ogata_."

_Like I could look anywhere else?_ Ogata thought to himself, but he dared not say it out loud. "What do you need to know?" Ogata asked, trying to ignore the way his heart was racing, not entirely sure it was from fear and adrenaline.

Leaning closer so that Mokuba couldn't hear, Kaiba answered lowly in Ogata's ear, "Ever fucked an albino?"

As much as Ogata wanted to, he refrained from asking, "Have I ever _what_?" Instead, he took great relish in murmuring in his boss' ear, "Are you asking for a roster of my conquests?"

Pulling back just far enough to look Ogata in the eyes, Kaiba warned, "Do _not_ try my patience. Now answer the question."

The murderous gleam of gold in Kaiba's eyes captivated Ogata, but he forced himself to focus. "No, I've never had the opportunity," Ogata answered, surprised when that seemed to make his boss even madder.

"You've never been with Bakura Ryou," Kaiba stated in disbelief.

"The wussy kid you go to school with? Not a chance," Ogata denied, making Kaiba bite back another swear, because it just didn't make sense. "So who do you think I've been with that compromised our plans?"

"Itja," Kaiba immediately replied, not realizing he knew the name until he said it and feeling a horrible sensation building inside of him.

Narrowing his eyes at Kaiba, Ogata looked at his boss and tried to understand the situation. "How do you know that name?" Ogata questioned, knowing that there was no way for his boss to find out such finite details of his life.

It was the closest thing to confirmation yet that Ogata had dealt with Bakura and his rage boiled over once again, lashing out in a tangible pulse of power that made Yami double over and Ogata gasp for breath while Mokuba stared wide eyed. An unnatural wind picked up around them and Kaiba wrapped his hand around Ogata's neck, slamming him harder against the wall he was trapped against. "Did you scream it into the night?" Kaiba questioned as he pressed closer to Ogata, the shadows rising around him as they awaited direction. "Did he make you _moan_ it?"

"What does my sex life have to do with any of this?" Ogata demanded, not seeing the link between a random hook up and a multiple homicide.

"Everything, _apparently_," Kaba spat, feeling his rage like a tangible thing just under his skin. Swallowing it back for a little bit longer, Kaiba still had the wherewithal to order Mokuba to go to his room. It was gratifying to see at least one person in the room still respected his authority as Mokuba all but fled to his bedroom. "Now answer me."

"Not until you explain what the hell is going on!" Ogata countered, trying to understand what was happening with his boss. With Mokuba out of the room, there was barely a single trace of blue left in Kaiba's eyes and it was terrifying in its intensity.

"Tell me now or I will find out for myself," Kaiba threatened, new knowledge pulsating from within the fragments of Seto.

Shrugging it off, Ogata said, "You're acting like something happened other than a good time. Besides, he doesn't meet your albino criteria, so—"

"Wrong answer," Kaiba told him with a vicious grin before leaning closer and brushing his fingers against Ogata's temple. Instinctually giving a small mental push with his powers, Kaiba fell into the flashing visions of Ogata's night, of the fight for top, the roughness of pent up frustrations, the satisfied collapse after hours of play. Even Kaiba had to admit that Bakura had done a decent job of disguising himself to look older, to look less like himself by dying his hair black, but he could still see it, could still hear it when Bakura introduced him under a name that only Kaiba would know him by with a sly smirk that betrayed his intentions.

"You just couldn't resist," Kaiba muttered, his voice dripping with disgust and disappointment.

Breathing shakily and trembling from the experience, Ogata whispered, "What did you just do?" He had no idea what Kaiba had just done to him, but Ogata knew something had just been inside of him and he didn't know what to make of it.

"Found what I was looking for," Kaiba answered with another mental push, searching for their parting only to discover that Bakura had slipped out on Ogata during the morning when he was still asleep. _He must have searched the room then_, Kaiba realized, his anger rippling outwards and adding a new set of fractures to the already shattered television screen.

"_How_?" Ogata wanted to know, able to tell something foreign was in his mind, something that wasn't himself, something that was probing deeper still. "Seto, what are you doing?"

"Finding out if it was worth it," Kaiba sneered, not a trace of blue remaining in his eyes as he lost himself in his powers.

"Why him? Why not any of the others I've hooked up with?" Ogata challenged, allowing Kaiba to see flashes of numerous men and women, including an American who looked more like him than he was comfortable seeing.

Pressing closer to Ogata, causing the older man to gasp at the sensation, Kaiba murmured, "Because none of them were _him_."

It sounded a lot like jealousy from Ogata's perspective and he took advantage of Kaiba's position to make eye contact with Yami, looking for any clue that would help him out of the bizarre situation. Yami started to mouth something to him, but Ogata was interrupted by Kaiba leaning back and once again forcibly taking hold of his chin to refocus his attention. "I said you will look at _me_," Kaiba reminded Ogata in a dangerous tone of voice, picking up on the faint curl of lust that hid in the perverse smirks that were so quick to grace his lips. "Is that what this is about?"

"I don't know," Ogata whimpered as he felt that thing move inside him once more and making him shudder. "Seriously, what are you _doing_?"

"Is that why you let him in?" Kaiba demanded, his gaze narrowing once more in his anger. "Is that why you touched him?"

Ogata's normal retort of, "I did a lot more than touch him," was swallowed back out of self-preservation; he doubted his boss would react well given his current state. Instead, he settled for, "Who is he to you?"

Once again ignoring Ogata's question, Kaiba continued following his own train of thought on the matter. "Is that why you let him do this to you?" Kaiba asked, ripping Ogata's button down shirt open, scattering the buttons throughout the room.

Yami's intentions to interrupt were stopped cold when he saw Ogata's bare chest, covered in little bruises that matched the ones on Kaiba's body. The placement wasn't lost on Kaiba and he found himself running his hand up Ogata's chest, ghosting his fingers over some of the more prominent bruises that were mirrored on his own flesh. "You let him _touch_ you," Kaiba hissed as he dug his thumb into one of the bruises, the possessiveness of the action causing Ogata to gasp and try to press himself closer to the wall and away from his boss' hands. "Let him do _this_ to you, let him _mark_ you."

"Seto, _please_," Ogata pleaded, needing Kaiba to let up and allow him to gather his composure before something terrible happened.

"I will not let him do as he likes," Kaiba swore, the television finally shattering completely from the flare out of power. "I will not let him interfere with what is _mine_."

The possessive declaration would have pleased Ogata at any other time, but he felt that thing moving inside of him again and he tried to clamp down against it. "Whatever you're doing, stop it," Ogata tried again, but his boss was past the point of hearing.

"You cannot resist me," Kaiba purred in a malicious tone and with a dangerously sexy look that Ogata knew was going to haunt him for some time. "Cannot resist what I'm about to do to you."

Fully intending on carrying through, Kaiba pushed even further into Ogata's mind for details, but was startled when hands were physically pulling him away from his goal. Looking down and surprised to find Yami trying to work his way between them as he ordered authoritatively in their shared language, "_Seto, stop this madness!"_

Kaiba was about to angrily argue back when he realized it was indeed Seto at the forefront of his control, something that enraged and terrified him equally. Shaking his head as if trying to dislodge Seto's grip, Kaiba staggered back and held one of his hands over his eye. Fighting for control, it took more effort to wrestle Seto back behind his walls that he didn't understand how the settled fragments had escaped. He could clearly feel the division in his soul, the differences, but it should have disappeared, been absorbed. It was disconcerting to discover, but it was hardly the most pressing issue.

Reaching up and taking Kaiba's hand that was covering his eye, Yami pulled it down gently and looked into his troubled boyfriend's gaze. Kaiba seemed downright shell shocked at his own behavior and just stared blankly ahead, the blue returning to his eyes, but the gold not dissipating completely. "_He just—I just…why?_" Kaiba muttered, completely at a loss as to his own behavior.

Yami hugged Kaiba, trying to project a calmness that he didn't actually feel after what he witnessed. It allowed Kaiba to see what he had done to Ogata and he evenly kept his employee's gaze, refusing to look away in a shame he almost felt. He was downright mortified at his loss of control, at his lack of ability to seamlessly merge the parts of Seto into himself and maintain himself at all times.

"What just happened?" Ogata asked quietly, his voice sounding too loud in the sudden stillness.

"Something that never should have," Kaiba replied, embedding his fingers through Yami's hair and grounding himself further.

Biting back a growl, Ogata tried asking a different way, "What did you do to me?"

"I won't do it again," Kaiba said, although it sounded more like a threat aimed at himself than a promise to Ogata.

"I find that hard to believe considering this isn't the first time you've done weird things," Ogata shot back, realizing a bit belatedly that he was no longer pinned to the wall through magical means.

The rebuke was painful and Kaiba balked at it, but Seto's anger wasn't present any longer. "It doesn't concern you," Kaiba arrogantly told his employee, but it was of little use.

Ignoring the fact that Yami was between them, Ogata took a few steps forward and pressed one of his hands to his exposed chest and sneered, "Once you started stripping me and doing whatever the fuck you were doing in my head, it involves me whether you like it or not. _You_ involved me in this, Seto."

Kaiba was about to argue back, but Yami tightened his grip on the hug, causing him to look down and sigh heavily in his mind. He knew that look and it was a painful reminder that he wasn't getting out of the situation without some form of explanation. "No, your shitty choice in men got you involved," Kaiba argued, stepping out of Yami's embrace to face off against Ogata properly.

"You have yet to explain how my random one night stand resulted in Hoshino's death," Ogata continued, ignoring the insult in favor of finding out the answers that he needed. "Or what's causing you to have glowing eyes and freaky abilities."

"Itja took advantage of your exhaustion and found info on her and her minions to kill them," Kaiba explained, the words distasteful to him.

"Why would he know to target me for that information?" Ogata asked, still failing to make the connection. "Doesn't that mean he's on our side?"

"They're _dead_!" Kaiba yelled, the gold flashing in his eyes once more. "He took my revenge from me—"

"He took care of what we both wanted to happen _and_ managed to make it look like Tanaka's fault. Why are you so pissed? You couldn't have killed her that cleanly without major risk to yourself," Ogata reasoned.

"She should have _suffered_," Kaiba spat, getting riled up again.

"She could die a thousand deaths and it would still never be enough for you," Ogata pointed out to his boss. "And who's to say that she didn't suffer?"

Kaiba said nothing to that; he just looked down and continue to rage in his silence, still feeling the unrest under his skin. He was mad at himself for losing control, for not understanding why the part of the ancient priest had reacted the way he had. Kaiba hated the loss of control, hated feeling like he was somebody else, like there was someone just under the surface ready to steal away his very existence.

When that failed to get the reaction he had expected, Ogata started to push again, but was stopped by Yami sadly shaking his head. "Then you explain it," Ogata challenged Yami, knowing that he had the answers to the questions that he was so desperate to know.

"I cannot," Yami refused, glancing at Kaiba in the hopes of gleaning a hint on how to proceed.

"Cannot or will not?" Ogata asked, knowing it was a crucial difference.

"He will not," Kaiba said softly, but with authority.

Frowning at his boss, Ogata tried a different route in the hopes that there would be some give. "It's the least you owe me after your little display," Ogata stated, gesturing to his bare chest once more as an example of Kaiba's fallacy.

"I owe you _nothing_," Kaiba snarled, the gold flaring once more from the depths of his eyes.

"Bullshit," Ogata immediately refused, taking a step away from the wall and closer to his boss to see up close and personal what his boss was still stubbornly refusing to acknowledge. "You owe me more than you even _know_, Seto."

Gritting his teeth as Ogata neared, Kaiba stood his ground and refused to take the step back that he wanted to. "I do not owe you _this_," Kaiba rephrased, coolly meeting Ogata's inquisitive gaze.

"Oh, but you do," Ogata insisted in a lowered voice, feeling more like the predator than the prey at last.

The sudden closeness when he was in full control of his awareness was starting to bother Kaiba, so he told his employee, "Get away from me."

"Make me," Ogata challenged in a sensuous rumble that made Kaiba bite back a growl as he balled his hands into fists.

Sensing Kaiba was about to lash out in violence once more, Yami intervened with a gentle but firm, "Katsuro-kun, please."

"Tell me," Ogata demanded, glancing toward the shorter teen without stepping away from Kaiba's personal space. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to start using more creative methods to find out."

Kaiba heard the underlying implication of a threat and he took advantage of Ogata's distraction to throw him to the floor with a judo technique, pinning him to the floor. The suddenness of the impact made Ogata groan as he was suddenly face down with all of Kaiba's weight trapping him in place. The position brought back reminders of what Kaiba had witnessed through Ogata as a result of Seto's abilities and in the clarity of his own mind, he realized something important, "Wait, he wasn't at your apartment?"

The sudden switch in topics confused Ogata more than the fact that Kaiba knew that. "Of course not," Ogata scoffed as he shifted uncomfortably under his boss. "You know I never bring anyone to my place. Too dangerous."

Furrowing his eyebrows as he replayed the glimpses he had caught, Kaiba tried piecing together what it could mean. "If he wasn't at your place and didn't have access to any of your files, then…?" Kaiba started to question before trailing off in confusion.

"Like I asked, why the interest in him of all people?" Ogata reiterated as he rolled over to face Kaiba and tried not to think too much about the compromising position it put them in as a result. "There was no way he could have found out about her from the hotel we stayed at and I sure as hell didn't say anything about it."

"This doesn't make any sense," Kaiba stated as he looked to Yami for guidance. "He shouldn't be able to tamper with memories."

"I can talk to her about it," Yami offered, knowing that Kaiba would understand he was referring to Isis.

"None of this makes any sense," Kaiba muttered, distracting himself from his discomfort with the new issue at hand. "How could he have found out about it? And why would he _do_ something like that…?"

They were questions that Yami didn't know how to answer, questions he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answers to. "He does what he wants," Yami said, knowing that the thief thought of nothing but himself.

"But never without a reason," Kaiba shot back, immediately recoiling from his own surety. "Damn it, there has to be a way to end this somehow. To end _him_ somehow. _I will not suffer any more of this, especially by his hand._"

The shift into ancient language made Yami frown as he realized just how much gold was still present within enraged blue. "_That is a problem for later,_" Yami told him, hoping to refocus his boyfriend on the more pressing issue. "_What do you intend to do about him?_"

When Yami's eyes looked toward Ogata, Kaiba's frown deepened further. "_He already knows too much as it is_," Kaiba muttered, glaring at Ogata for being the annoying presence that he was.

"_You're going to have to tell him _something," Yami continued, knowing that Ogata would never leave the matter alone.

"Or _I could remove that knowledge…_" Kaiba murmured, once again reaching his fingers to rest on Ogata's temple in a mocking caress that caused the man underneath him to gasp. It would be so easy to extract, to drift back into Ogata's mind and change things to make everything so much simpler. The thought was beyond tempting and Kaiba leaned closer still, something inside of him purring with pleasure at the fearful uncertainty of Ogata's expression. "_I could make you forget_ _everything_…"

"Damn it, Kaiba!" Yami swore in Japanese, trying to refocus the reincarnation's attention. The amount of temptation in Kaiba's voice and the expression on his face as he considered the possibility of altering Ogata's memories was particularly troubling to Yami, especially since they were mere inches away from what could easily turn into a kiss with one wrong move. The amount of gold dominating blue was even more disconcerting, but Yami stood his ground and refused to back down from the unspoken challenge that was being issued. Kaiba was still ignoring him, so Yami knew he had to say something else to try and distract him. "He is not at fault here, so stop taking out Bakura's idiocy on him."

"_Idiocy_?" Kaiba hissed as he fiercely glared up Yami, Ogata immediately forgotten. "You call this mere _idiocy_?"

Before Yami could answer, Ogata took advantage of Kaiba's distraction and pounced on his boss, pinning him to the floor. Securing his grip, Ogata held fast as Kaiba angrily swore and tried to break free, but his eyes were only on Yami. "Answers. _Now_," Ogata ordered, looking more menacing that Yami knew was possible for the normally affable man.

"This…_Itja_ ," Yami started to explain, the name leaving a foul taste in his mouth, "is actually someone we go to school with and—"

"Are you telling me that a _high schooler_ murdered them?" Ogata indignantly demanded, tightening his grip when Kaiba started thrashing in an attempt to gain leverage of any kind.

"Or had someone else do it for him," Yami replied, still trying to understand why Bakura would have done such a thing. "But he…he's like us."

"Yami, enough!" Kaiba yelled from underneath Ogata.

"_Then tell him yourself_," Yami shot back, startled by the yelling, but not surprised by it.

Rapidly looking between the two feuding teens, Ogata finally felt the need to prompt Yami when all talking stopped. "And what exactly does 'like us' mean?" Ogata questioned before Kaiba finally took back control and freed himself.

"It does not involve you!" Kaiba snapped, standing in order to get some distance between them so he couldn't be overtaken again. "So just stay the hell out of our business!"

"What are you so afraid that I'll do?" Ogata questioned as he also stood, having a strange sense of déjà vu from the first time he had witnessed Kaiba's strange abilities. "I told you last time, it's not like I'm going to run to the media and start telling them all you're Kaibaman and have crazy shadow powers."

Even though the timing was highly inappropriate, Yami had to hide a snicker behind his hand at the image of Kaibaman that popped into mind from Ogata's words. Kaiba was less amused and replied, "You already know more than you need to, so just leave it at that."

Frowning at the response, Ogata knew that it was more of an answer than he realistically could have hoped for; denial was the much more likely outcome, so he should have been contented with that. Ogata couldn't help but want to know more, but realistically he knew it was probably a difficult thing to put into words. "I guess the how and why don't really matter, do they?" Ogata realized, knowing that the origins were less important than the actual abilities. "So now what?"

"We never speak of this again," Kaiba muttered, feeling wary of how easily Ogata had seemingly just given in about the subject.

"Yeah, that will work real well until the next time you get pissed off and start using—"

"My control is not that bad!" Kaiba interrupted with a growl, trying to reign in his temper that proved contrary to his words.

"Under normal circumstances," Ogata agreed before looking over at Yami to subtly underline his point.

Irritably running his fingers through his hair, Kaiba sighed heavily when he felt Yami's concern and soothing presence brushing up against him. When he said nothing further, Ogata prompted him, "So what are you going to do about this Itja situation?"

Just the mere mention of the name made the fragments move and Kaiba closed his eyes as he willed it to cease. "I haven't decided yet," Kaiba truthfully answered as he opened his eyes, finally free of gold since the whole thing began. "Too many things don't make sense about this."

"It's too risky to move until you know his plan," Yami agreed, surprised at Kaiba's sudden calm reasoning. Even with direct access to Kaiba's emotions, Yami was continually surprised by the rapid fire shifts he could experience.

"But he will be dealt with," Kaiba swore with a finality that chilled Yami in its certainty.

While the lack of murderous rage was promising, Yami didn't like the blank nothingness that Kaiba was managing to project. It made him nervous and he couldn't help but suspect that something darker was lurking deeper still. "Seto…" Yami hesitantly said, feeling the need to speak, but not knowing what else to say.

"I will have my answers," Kaiba told Yami, needing to know at least that much. Bakura's motivations were highly suspicious and Kaiba knew the bastard was probably just lying in wait to taunt him about it.

"I can—" Ogata started to offer, but was immediately cut off by Kaiba.

"You've done enough," Kaiba bitterly reprimanded his employee, still feeling disgusted that he had been with Bakura in such a way. "If you want to help, stay the hell away from him."

Making a rude noise, Ogata defensively protested, "Like I would make that mistake twice?"

"Considering you made it once, I wouldn't rule it out," Kaiba shot back with a harsh glare before looking away with a scowl.

"Seto, if—"

Once again interrupting Ogata, Kaiba told him, "I've heard enough of your excuses for one night," and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Yami asked, resisting the urge to reach out and take Kaiba's hand to prevent him from leaving.

Although part of Kaiba instinctively balked at having to explain his actions, he clamped down on his natural reaction to lash out; he was too riled up and knew it. "_I need to get my head together,_" Kaiba answered for Yami's understanding only as he turned around to face him. "_I'll be back, I just want to go for a drive._"

It seemed innocent enough, but Yami was doubtful about Kaiba's intentions. However, the anger wasn't present that would make Yami think Kaiba was going after Bakura, so he was confused by the wish. "_Take me with you_?" Yami requested, although he knew it was probably a long shot.

Running his fingers along Yami's cheek with a look the former pharaoh didn't know how to interpret, Kaiba softly said, "_I'd rather have you get rid of this idiot for me before I do something I'll regret on a professional level later._"

"_You know he didn't mean to_…" Yami started to defend Ogata, but he trailed off as Kaiba's gaze hardened.

"_It doesn't mean I still can't be angry at him for this_," Kaiba growled as his eyes flicked over to Ogata who was mercifully standing silently and doing nothing more than observing their interactions.

"_You'll forgive him_," Yami predicted, having seen enough of their interactions to know Kaiba inevitably always did.

"_Maybe after I kick his ass_," Kaiba muttered before giving Ogata one more hateful glare and turning to leave. It annoyed him that Yami was right, mostly because Kaiba had seen enough to know that Bakura had manipulated Ogata skillfully from the start. What didn't make sense was how Bakura knew to target Ogata specifically, but it was one question amongst many more pressing ones that Kaiba had for the interfering thief.

"_I'll wait up for you_," Yami promised, hoping it would serve as some sort of incentive to make Kaiba come back faster.

Kaiba nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't say anything in return as he left the room; the mental caress he sent Yami's way was enough to calm the former pharaoh's fears for the moment. Heading toward the garage, Kaiba carefully forced himself to keep his mind blank in order to have a clear mind to figure out his next course of action.

* * *

**A/N:** Finally got my internet back long enough to post the chapter! The good thing is that it gave me extra time to make this a nice long chapter. They've promised me they're working on replacing the lines and upgrading the connection, but I'm not holding out much hope for it being any time soon, so again, I must plead with you to bear with me during this time. (-_-;

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Sitting in the silence of his parked car, Kaiba waited for his common sense to kick in and convince him why what he was about to do was a bad idea._

Provided my internet connection lasts longer than a few hours every other day, I hope to post this on **Sunday, December 4th**. How it's almost December is beyond me. But I'm working hard to finish this by the year's end, so we'll see what happens. Your encouragement and patience is always appreciated, so thank you again!


	42. Chapter 42: Never the Way It Goes

**A/N:** There is an **important schedule update** at the end of this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 42: Never the Way It Goes**

Sitting in the silence of his parked car, Kaiba waited for his common sense to kick in and convince him why what he was about to do was a bad idea. He was still too raw, too shaken, too emotional, but Kaiba could keep control of himself; he _had_ to keep control of himself. The alternative was waiting for Bakura to confront him at school and making a very public scene over something that was best kept private.

So it was that Kaiba found himself standing outside of Bakura Ryou's house and hesitating only for a moment before ringing the doorbell. Rather than the smug arrogance of the thief he had been expecting to see, Ryou kindly greeted him with a pleasant, "Good evening, Kaiba-kun," as he stepped aside to let him enter.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiba crossed the threshold of no return as he toed off his shoes and stepped into the home. "I actually have a…request of you," Ryou shyly told Kaiba, his cheeks flushed at the prospect of asking. "You can refuse of course, but…"

A pit of dread worked its way through Kaiba as he asked, "And what is that?"

Still looking down at the floor abashedly, Ryou stammered, "The thing is….my dad should be home soon and I know that you—that the two of you—that things will be…said, so…"

"Are you asking me to come back at another time?" Kaiba questioned, finding it hard to understand what Ryou was trying to request.

Ryou took a deep breath to steel his reserve before answering, "No, now's fine, it's just…instead of in the living room…I wouldn't ask normally, because well—you know—and…but I don't want my dad to know, so—"

"What are you trying to ask?" Kaiba finally demanded, tired of trying to make sense of Ryou's staccato sentences.

"Can you talk in my bedroom instead of down here?" Ryou asked in a rush of words and a deep flush on his cheeks. "I know asking that when he's involved—not that I'm asking for him, it's not an ulterior motive or anything—it's just that my dad, he—and I really don't want him to worry, and—"

Even though everything in him railed that it was a terrible idea, Kaiba knew he was backed into a corner on the issue. "If it is absolutely necessary," Kaiba tentatively agreed through gritted teeth, trying to seem unaffected in case Bakura was observing from inside the Millennium Ring that was hanging from Ryou's neck.

"I'm sorry," Ryou apologized softly as he led the way upstairs to his room. It was a simple room, not that different from Yuugi's in configuration and Kaiba stood in the center, far enough from the bed, desk, and wall to keep himself in as advantageous a position as he could manage in the situation.

The instant Ryou traded places with Bakura, Kaiba could sense the shift and it made his skin prickle at the sensation of ancient magic at work; he blamed the priest's soul for the newfound sensitivity to such things. However, instead of the cocky gloating he had prepared himself for, Bakura was staring at Kaiba with crossed arms and a displeased frown. It was so drastically different from his normal brash and domineering presence that Kaiba was immediately on his full guard as he braced himself for whatever foul trick Bakura was going to try next.

"So did you just come here to stare at me or did you actually have a purpose?" Bakura finally asked with a huff of annoyance.

"You should know why," Kaiba growled, his body tense for the fight that always inevitably broke out between them.

"There's a difference between why you're here and why I want you here," Bakura commented, making Kaiba think it was a deliberate tactic to keep him off of his pace. "So. Why?"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Kaiba was still distrustful of Bakura as he muttered, "I saw the news."

Making a rude snort, Bakura said, "How nice of you to finally obey me for once," and rolled his eyes. "So are you here to thank me? Punish me?"

Biting back a snarl of, "You'd like that, wouldn't you," Kaiba settled for subtly clenching his hand into a tight fist. "I want answers," Kaiba said, rather than taking the expected swipe at Bakura's deliberate bait.

"Then start asking questions," Bakura countered, shifting his weight to the other foot just to watch Kaiba tense for an attack.

It was clear to Kaiba that Bakura was trying to make the situation as painful and protracted as possible, so he forced himself to play into the game as little as he could. "I want to know why," Kaiba replied, the words difficult for him to say.

The first hint of a smirk curled darkly at Bakura's lips, making Kaiba feel for the first time like he was actually dealing with the surly thief, rather than a passive mock of him. "That's not a question," Bakura pointed out, making Kaiba clench his jaw in anger.

"Why did you do it?" Kaiba snapped, even as he tried to rein his temper in; it wouldn't do for him to lose it so quickly.

Taking a few steps toward Kaiba and stopping far short of his personal space, Bakura continued antagonizing him, "Do what? I've done a lot of things, so you'll have to be a little more specific, Kaiba."

The casual way Bakura used his given name made Kaiba feel the same dread it always did and it made his discomfort grow substantially. "You know what I'm talking about," Kaiba growled, not wanting to be played into Bakura's hand.

"Do I?"

"_Why_?" was all Kaiba could make himself specify, regretting that he hadn't been able to take more time to gather his composure before coming over to confront the spirit.

"Why?" Bakura repeated with a sneer that confused Kaiba. "Because both you and the priest were always too soft to do what needed to be done, despite your claims otherwise."

Kaiba couldn't entirely disagree with the sentiment; if the priest had been stronger, Bakura wouldn't be in the present to torment him. "It didn't mean you had to kill them!" Kaiba argued back, still outraged that his revenge had been denied.

"Would you rather have them to continue living?" Bakura countered, knowing full well what the answer was, even if Kaiba was too proud to admit it out loud.

"I would have been able to take my revenge!" Kaiba snapped, his pride still hurting over the lost opportunity. "It wasn't your place to interfere!"

Scoffing at Kaiba's attitude, Bakura said, "I did what you wanted to do and couldn't bring yourself to do. You wanted them to suffer and I made it happen. Try showing some gratitude, yeah?"

"I didn't ask you to do that!" Kaiba continued to rail at Bakura, even though the darker part of his soul was pleased to know that they had suffered.

"You didn't need to," Bakura said with a nonchalant shrug that about sent Kaiba over the edge.

"But _why_?" Kaiba demanded, still not understanding why Bakura had gotten himself involved, let alone his methodology of discovering what to do and how he did it.

Walking closer to Kaiba and reaching out to stroke his cheek, Bakura replied, "Because I will never forgive anyone who hurts you," as if it were truly that simple.

Dodging the caress, Kaiba told him, "That still doesn't make sense. She did nothing directly to you, so why…?"

"Because they hurt him and that hurt you. I told you before: only I can hurt you," Bakura explained Kaiba was a small smirk. "I won't forgive anyone else who does so, even indirectly."

"I'm not yours to protect, damn it!" Kaiba exclaimed, still infuriated at Bakura's backward claims. "I don't need your help anyway!"

"Maybe not, but I will always defend you," Bakura swore, "and do whatever it takes to do so."

"I'd prefer you not to murder people and sleep with my subordinates," Kaiba snapped, still fuming at Bakura's misguided presumptuousness.

With a knowing smirk, Bakura crossed his arms over his chest as he hummed, "And that's your real problem, isn't it? That I managed to nail your friend."

"He is _not_ my _friend_," Kaiba spat, "especially not after being with you."

"So are you jealous that I got to him before you?" Bakura teased, suspecting that there was more between the two men in their past than Kaiba would ever be willing to admit to. "It's not like you didn't have plenty of time. Or offers."

Narrowing his eyes at Bakura, Kaiba felt uneasy with the direction of his questioning and knew he had to tread carefully to prevent things from quickly getting even more out of hand. "And what would you know about it?" Kaiba asked with a disdainful sniff to try and disguise his real interests.

"Plenty," was all Bakura said, intentionally trying to push all of Kaiba's buttons.

"How?"

"Because I saw all kinds of interesting things when I was inside of him trying to find out what I needed to know," Bakura elaborated, winking at Kaiba to make sure he got the innuendo. "We came to an…understanding of sorts. Not that he knew about that, but…I let him live."

"How generous of you," Kaiba sarcastically muttered, although he did feel some concern at the possibility of Bakura adding Ogata to the final body count. As irritating as Ogata was, Kaiba didn't want him dead.

"Considering how badly he injured you, it was," Bakura defended himself as he let his hand reach out to touch one of Kaiba's hidden bruises left by Ogata.

"I did far worse to him," Kaiba once again found himself defending his injuries.

"Which was also taken into consideration," Bakura stated, letting his hand travel toward another bruise before Kaiba slapped it away. "Lucky for him, he's too pretty to let go to waste like that."

The thought of Bakura continuing to associate with Ogata, let alone to that degree, was distressing for Kaiba. "You will stay away from him," Kaiba commanded, for all the good it did for him.

"Why should I?" Bakura challenged Kaiba, shocking him in the process. "Because you said so?"

"You got what you needed out of him," Kaiba snapped, the thought of Bakura continuing to associate with Ogata making him feel a burn that had nothing to do with the priest.

"Mm, but not all that he had to give," Bakura purred with a lecherous look that let Kaiba know exactly what was being implied. "Besides, it's not like you're using him for anything other than a punching bag, so—"

"You cannot use him to get to me," Kaiba warned.

Laughing at Kaiba's presumptions, Bakura asked, "Are you sure about that? I have my _ways_."

"Meaning?" Kaiba prompted, even though he knew he'd probably regret it.

"We have a…_shared interest_ shall we call it?"

Bakura looked too smug for Kaiba's comfort and he tried to ignore the thief took to close the distance between them. "You used the Millennium Ring on him, didn't you?" Kaiba accused, knowing that magical manipulation was the only excuse for the gaps in Ogata's memory.

"The Millennium Rod, actually," Bakura corrected him with a smirk, "although that wasn't what I was talking about. Far from it…"

Before Kaiba could ask what Bakura was insinuating or demand answers about how he had taken the Millennium Rod from Isis' care, he was stopped cold by the thief's hand once again reaching out to touch his cheek. The look in Bakura's eyes was something Kaiba recognized from the priest's memories and he was surprised by the utter emotionality that was blatantly on display. "You just don't get it, do you?" Bakura murmured, blinking when his hand was slapped away. "You're just as dense as the priest, I swear."

"I'm not him, damn it!" Kaiba snarled, tired of having to defend himself in such a manner.

"No, you're not," Bakura agreed with a sad smile that completely confused Kaiba.

"Then why do you keep pursing me?" Kaiba demanded, cursing himself the moment the question escaped from him without permission.

"Because you're not him."

Resisting the urge to throw his hands up in the air in exasperation, Kaiba exclaimed, "But that doesn't make sense!"

"Love rarely does," Bakura replied in a voice that was barely louder than a murmur, but still stunned Kaiba into silence.

It felt like all of the breath had been knocked out of Kaiba and he struggled to comprehend what he had just heard. "You _don't_ love me," Kaiba adamantly insisted after he recovered, unable to hide the waver of fear in his voice.

Smiling wanly, Bakura's voice was bitter as he demanded, "Then what would you call three thousand years of devotion to one person?"

"Insanity," Kaiba immediately answered, becoming increasingly uncomfortable. This quieter Bakura was throwing him off his pace and Kaiba never thought he would have missed the more confrontational and direct person he was used to handling.

"Then you and that pharaoh are no different than me," Bakura pointed out with a hollow laugh, making Kaiba cringe at the truth behind it.

"You're waiting for someone who doesn't exist," Kaiba continued to argue, needing to put up boundaries to differentiate their levels of truth. "I'm. Not. _Him_."

"Oh, but you are," Bakura disagreed, "and you always will be. He's _inside_ of you right now."

"That doesn't make me him," Kaiba growled, trying not to be aware of the fragment of Seto moving inside of him in response for the first time since the conversation started. "You only like the him in me, so give it up—I'll never be him and I'll never want you."

"Did it ever occur to you that I like the you that he's become?" Bakura countered with a wicked grin that made Kaiba shiver as the distance between them narrowed. "You're so much more than he ever was, _Kaiba_."

Although Kaiba didn't like what Bakura was implying, he found it hard to disagree with the basic sentiment; he knew he was a better person than Seto ever could have hoped to be. It caused Kaiba to agree, "Yes, which is why I'll have nothing to do with you."

"Oh yes, because you've done _such_ a good job of that up until this point," Bakura sarcastically quipped, rolling his eyes for good measure. "Face it, you _can't_ escape me."

Before Kaiba could counter, Bakura once again pressed himself close and invaded his personal space. "Maybe you don't _want_ to escape from me…"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kaiba spat as he started to step back only to be denied by Bakura's hold on him.

"Then why are you here with me instead of with him?" Bakura asked with a knowing smirk, the question one he had asked his priest countless time before. "Aren't you in the wrong bedroom, then?"

Shoving Bakura hard and creating some space between them, Kaiba argued, "I'm only here for answers."

"To questions that you could have asked me at school," Bakura pointed out, enjoying poking holes in Kaiba's weak defenses.

"We would have been interrupted there," Kaiba defended himself, leaving out the part about not wanting any witnesses to the very high potential for a violent outbreak to occur between them.

Humming with interest, Bakura teased, "So you wanted to be alone with me undisturbed? And you still say you have no interest?"

"Stop trying to make it weird," Kaiba growled, not appreciating what Bakura was insinuating.

"So what's the real reason you came here, Seto?"

It felt like a dangerous question, so Kaiba defended his actions with the truth, "I told you before: answers."

"About why I killed them," Bakura restated, sounding a little disappointed. "About how I did it. How I used him to do it."

Nodding, Kaiba narrowed his eyes when Bakura laughed loudly without humor. "And what would you have done? Settled it with Duel Monsters?" Bakura patronizingly mocked him, further incensing Kaiba. "Would that really have made you feel better after what she did to you?"

"It wasn't your place to interfere, damn it!"

"So consider me your weapon of revenge against her and be done with it," Bakura suggested with a shrug. "I made them suffer more than you would have been capable of doing. Turning her minions against her with the Millennium Rod, watching as they took one another out in a paranoid—"

"You didn't even do it yourself?" Kaiba interrupted in disgust, realizing a bit belatedly how terrible that sounded.

Grinning knowingly in a way that made Kaiba uncomfortable, Bakura explained, "It was too much risk to linking it back to you if I marched in there and slaughtered them all in front of the security cameras."

It was an unexpected consideration, but Kaiba wasn't going to say a single word of gratitude about it. "You shouldn't have risked it at all," Kaiba snapped, "should never have involved yourself in things that had nothing to do with you."

Grabbing Kaiba's shirt in his fists and physically hauling him closer, Bakura growled, "Don't you dare say it had nothing to do with me!"

Kaiba was so startled by the sudden anger and actions that he could do nothing more than protest, only to immediately be interrupted. "I watched every day as she tore you apart piece by piece with your greatest weakness. I had to sit there and see your _suffering_ and doing nothing about it, had to watch your pride being completely ruined by that _bitch_, had to watch you try and be someone you're not so that you didn't disappoint that bastard!" Bakura yelled, shaking Kaiba physically as if that would help his words sink in more. "Fuck, I even waited for you to get your revenge, but trying to get Ogata to fuck her and her finances over? It. Was. Not. _Enough_."

Blinking rapidly, it was almost too much for Kaiba to process, the honest rage that was burning in Bakura's eyes almost hurt to see. "That was not for you to decide!" Kaiba shot back in anger, shaken almost as much by Bakura's actions as his words.

"If you think I was going to idly sit by for the rest of your life and watch you regret not ripping that bitch apart, wondering when she was going to come after you again, you clearly don't remember everything from before," Bakura accused Kaiba before releasing him in disgust.

"It's not—"

Narrowing his eyes at Kaiba, Bakura challenged him, "Tell me that you would rather have her alive. That you would rather she went unpunished for what she did."

"It was being handled!" Kaiba defended himself, although he hated knowing he couldn't completely reject the point Bakura was making.

"Hate to break it to you, but sleeping with Ogata isn't exactly a punishment," Bakura cruelly informed Kaiba, "kind of the opposite, actually. Besides, she's the kind of woman that would find a way back to a position of power even after being publicly shamed. There are men out there far more desperate than her."

"Shut up!" Kaiba ordered, hating that there was any truth in Bakura's projections. "Stop acting like you know—"

"No, _you_ stop acting like an ungrateful idiot," Bakura interrupted to chastise Kaiba. "All you care about is that it wasn't your revenge because you didn't do it? That's bullshit, because Ogata was the one doing your dirty work, so how is that any different than what I did? Because he had your _permission_ and stupid plan? Seriously? I thought you were smarter than that."

Kaiba's instinct to argue back was halted by Bakura's point about how involved he actually was even in his own plans. His position was too vulnerable to acting out against Hoshino and Kaiba knew it, Bakura knew it. He couldn't formulate a thought fast enough before Bakura continued pressing him, "So which do you regret more? That she's dead or that I was the one that made it happen?"

"That's not—"

"It is important!" Bakura once again interrupted. "It's as important as the reason why you didn't leave here the minute you had your precious _answers_."

It was a variation of the threat Bakura had issued in the classroom and Kaiba swallowed hard as he tried to find the words to defend himself without falling into the same patterns. The moment was laced with tension and for once Bakura didn't continue prattling on in Kaiba's silence. He was clearly waiting and Kaiba hesitated, only to be startled by a male voice calling out, "Ryou, I'm home!"

Although it was deeply shameful, Kaiba took the interruption as a gift and turned to leave. Bakura grabbed his wrist, preventing him from leaving even as he called out in imitation of Ryou's voice, "I'll be down in a minute, otou-san."

To Kaiba, Bakura said in his normal voice, "We're not finished here."

Yanking his wrist free, Kaiba retorted, "I am," as he used his longer legs to his advantage to get out of the room faster. Bakura was following right behind him and Kaiba was paranoid about the position, but nothing happened. There were noises in the kitchen that indicated Ryou's dad was still unaware of their presence, so Kaiba decided it was better to slip out undetected.

Slipping on his shoes, Kaiba was less than surprised to find Bakura doing the same. Knowing he was caught in an impossible position, Kaiba said nothing to avoid the argument that would draw the attention of Ryou's dad. Silently leaving with Bakura on his heels, Kaiba walked to his car, muscles once again tense and waiting for the thief's next action.

When Kaiba turned to confront Bakura, he was startled when the thief embraced him tightly around the waist. "Let go," Kaiba ordered, wanting Bakura off of his person without having to actually touch him.

"No," Bakura refused, slamming Kaiba's back against his car door when he tried to free himself. "You're not the only one who wants answers, you know."

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked in exasperation, putting his hands on Bakura's shoulders in order to try and push him away.

Looking up at Kaiba with a guarded expression, Bakura murmured, "Do you seriously feel _nothing_?"

"Agitation and disgust, sure," Kaiba agreed as he continued trying to pry himself free of Bakura's grasp.

"I'm _exciting_," Bakura pointed out, "and your little pharaoh can be so dreadfully dull and predictable. I make you feel _alive_."

"Stop trying to force your feelings onto me. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not _him_," Kaiba growled. "Now let _go_."

"Why can't it be me?" Bakura asked with a look of such raw despair that it temporarily made Kaiba pause. He wasn't used to seeing Bakura looking so vulnerable and it was vaguely frightening on some level as it made him recall memory flashes from the priest. "I've proved over and over again that I would do anything for you, so _why_?"

"You want to do something for me?" Kaiba replied, some part of his mind equally fascinated and repulsed by the hope he saw sparked inside of Bakura at those words.

Bakura knew better than to get his hopes up, but he pressed even closer as he whispered the word, "Anything," against Kaiba's throat.

"Don't ever come near me again," Kaiba told him, although he knew it was futile.

Kaiba wasn't prepared for the slap in the face he received for the comment and the hurt gaze startled him as Bakura snarled, "Asshole."

"Learn to stay away or I'll lock you up in my vault to rot _alone_ for the rest of eternity," Kaiba threatened, feeling the sting of the unexpected hit.

"Just try it and find out what I'll do to you," Bakura retorted, his lips close to Kaiba. "Give you a taste of my _revenge_."

"I've had enough of your revenge," Kaiba told Bakura as he tried to shove him away. "I've had enough of _you_."

Smirking darkly, Bakura said, "I've had enough of you pretending this doesn't effect you," as he started kissing his way up Kaiba's neck to punctuate his words.

Since getting Bakura to separate from him was proving difficult, Kaiba settled for wrapping his hand around the thief's neck and forcing him back that way. "I _will_ lock you away forever," Kaiba promised as he released the thief, knowing that he would only be free if the Millennium Ring was locked away in one of the numerous underground vaults at Kaiba Corporation headquarters.

"You want to punish me? Show me what I'm missing," Bakura challenged, making Kaiba frown at the masochistic response. "Hurt me with what we could have."

"When did you become so pathetic?" Kaiba asked in disgust, not liking the twisted version of Bakura before him.

Before Kaiba could lob any more insults at Bakura, they were startled by the front door opening and flooding the area with light. "Ryou?" his dad called out, able to discern the two figures without their identities.

"Coming, otou-san," Bakura yelled back in Ryou's voice, relieved when the door was closed.

Kaiba didn't expect Bakura to go up on tiptoe and kiss the area of his third eye and he growled in the back of his throat as he jerked away before anything else could happen. "Threaten me all you want, Kaiba," Bakura told him as he took a step back, "but we both know you're never going to lock me away."

"What makes you so sure?" Kaiba demanded as Bakura took another step back from him.

"Because you're not him," was all Bakura said before turning around and walking away with a wave over his shoulder.

Kaiba wanted the final word, wanted to say anything to refute the statement, but all he could do was watch Bakura disappear back into the house. Rubbing the spot on his forehead with another frown, Kaiba was distracted when he heard a sound off to his left. Immediately on full guard, Kaiba listened and heard the distinct sounds of someone trying to sneak away and he made a judgment call, hoping it wasn't a reporter.

"I know you're there," Kaiba announced loudly to the darkness, "so you might as well come out and face me."

There was a moment of silence before the figure appeared around the corner of the neighbor's fence. "I could have been a stray cat," the voice defended itself and Kaiba stared murderously at the shadow with recognition.

"You _followed_ me, Ogata?" Kaiba snarled, cracking his knuckles as the urge to assault his wayward employee. "After everything you've done, you fucking _followed_ me? _Here_?"

"I told Yami I was going after you to make sure you didn't do something stupid," Ogata explained as he came closer, careful to stay out of the line of vision of Ryou's house and beyond Kaiba's assault range. "I didn't know where you were going, I just followed your GPS."

"Get in my car," Kaiba ordered in a threatening tone that left no room for discussion, while making a mental note to rewire his systems to become untraceable.

Ogata started to argue, "I actually parked mine around the—"

"Get. In. My. _Car_," Kaiba repeated with emphasis, making Ogata swallow hard.

Rather than doing anything further to upset Kaiba, Ogata agreed, "Fine, but only if you promise not to kill me."

Giving Ogata a withering look, Kaiba said, "I promise you nothing. Now get in before I run your ass over and get my lawyers to make it look like an accident."

"Aha, no need for that," Ogata laughed nervously as he obediently made his way to the passenger's side and got in with a bad feeling that things were only going to get worse.

Taking a steadying breath, Kaiba got in and slammed the door hard enough to make Ogata jump. He said nothing as he turned the car on and started the drive in silence, taking the time to formulate his plan while Ogata became increasingly concerned.

* * *

**A/N:** To say that this chapter got away from me is a major understatement. Hopefully it was worth the extra wait. Just can't seem to leave things alone...

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_Are you trying to get me to punish you?"_

"_Would it make you feel better?"_

Does anyone know how it became December? I don't have any clue, it just sort of happened. I'm getting ready to go into finals and then I'm off to Taiwan, so I don't know how I'm going to update. Even though I'll be in the middle of finals, I'm going **to** **try** and post an update on **Sunday,** **December 18th, but I can't guarantee it. **Chapter 43 isn't anything close to done, so if I can't get it finished, then I'll **try** a oneshot, but again, my internet may be against me so if there's no update, don't be surprised. I hate having to say that, but...I have to face the reality of my situation, much as that blows. As always, status updates will be posted on my Twitter and Livejournal accounts.

Due to the holidays and my travels, I won't be able to post again until **Sunday,** **January 1st, **which will be a **standalone M rated lemony Prideshipping oneshot** that's not part of any ficverse**. **Then on **Sunday, January 8th**, I'll resume **Lost & Found** on a regular Sunday basis since my internet connection will (supposedly) be fixed by then.

I'm so sorry about my posting schedule recently, but things have been a crunch for me recently. I really had hoped to finish L&F by the end of the year, but I just can't make that happen, unfortunately. Please don't give up on me, I know things have been rocky for me lately, so your support and reviews mean the world to me. Thank you for your loyalty and kindness, as always. I'll continue to do my best for you guys, so thank you, everyone.


	43. Chapter 43: Echoes

**A/N:** **There's a VERY important status update at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 43: Echoes**

Ogata had long given up trying to figure out where Kaiba was driving them to, so he was surprised when Kaiba seemingly arbitrarily pulled the car to the side of the road. Rather than questioning it when Kaiba got out of the car, Ogata silently followed, even as they descended down an embankment and sat down to look out over the river, the name of which he couldn't remember.

Holding his neck with his hands, Kaiba interlaced his fingers at his nape and tried to get in control of his emotions. He had started to feel oppressed and being in the car had only amplified things in the awkward silence. His reasoning for the location was a place where he wouldn't feel trapped with Ogata, but all it did was make him realize that just like the damnable priest, Kaiba had sought out the riverside to try and comfort himself, to try and make sense of his internal chaos at the water's edge. It was just another disturbing trace of the priest presence and Kaiba sighed heavily, drawing Ogata's attention.

"_Damn it all to hell_," Kaiba swore in the cruder dialect the priest had picked up from the thief. Only then did Kaiba realize that Bakura hadn't used the old language once during their encounter. It served as further proof that Bakura was dealing with him rather than the priest and Kaiba didn't know what to make of it. None of it made any sense to him and it was starting to anger him the longer it went on.

Groaning as he hung his head in shame and frustration, Kaiba wondered why things had to start getting more complicated just when it seemed like they were resolving. He had Yami back, things were starting to return to normal, so why couldn't it just work out for once? "_When will it be enough_?" Kaiba accidentally wondered out loud, feeling the pressure of the situation. "And why the hell were you there?"

"Oh, you're talking to me now?" Ogata responded, finally hearing Japanese.

"Answer me," Kaiba flatly ordered, not the least bit amused.

Trying to lighten the mood, Ogata asked, "You're not going to drown me in the river, are you?"

"Don't tempt me," Kaiba muttered, although he didn't have he energy to follow through with the weak threat. He was exhausted on so many different levels and he just wanted everything to stop.

Deciding to cut Kaiba some slack in the hopes for a returned favor, Ogata told him, "Look, I wasn't lying when I said I promised Yami I was just coming after you to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid."

"Like that's your responsibility," Kaiba replied as he finally released his neck and wrapped his arms around his knees.

Silence finally descended on them and Kaiba stared out across the river as the sounds of the night filled the air. He found himself calming, but still deeply unsettled by everything.

Ogata was less than comfortable in the stillness and he finally broke the silence by asking, "You know what I don't understand?"

"How to shut the fuck up?"

"Haha," Ogata answered without humor. "No, what I want to know is why didn't you hit him?"

"What?"

Huffing at Kaiba in irritation, Ogata rephrased his question, "When he slapped you, why didn't you hit him back?"

Kaiba automatically started to retort back, but he closed his mouth when he didn't actually have an answer to give. His eyes widened in shock as Kaiba was forced to realize that the thought to return to the hit had never occurred to him, not even out of habitual instinct. "I…" Kaiba tried to defend himself, but no words would come to him.

"Did you deserve it?" Ogata asked in a harsh voice, not liking the confusion he saw on his boss' face.

"It's not a matter of deserving it or not," Kaiba sullenly pointed out, but it sounded weak even to his own ears. "And what kind of bullshit question is that, anyway?"

"I don't believe you," Ogata accused, knowing that Kaiba would normally still have retaliated even if he couldn't block the initial hit. "Then how do you explain what else he did to you? You've punched me for mere _innuendo_—"

"That's because—" Kaiba started to reply, but Ogata continued talking over him as if he had never been interrupted.

"—so why in the hell didn't you defend yourself against _that_?"

Getting a bad feeling, Kaiba ignored the question and asked one of his own, "How long were you watching?"

"Long enough to watch you get shoved up against a car while some random guy started kissing on you and you just stood there," Ogata replied, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth. "It didn't look like the first time, either."

"Stop trying to make it into something it isn't," Kaiba growled, hoping the dark hid the embarrassed flush he felt in his cheeks.

The lack of angry denial floored Ogata; he could barely believe what he was hearing. "Then what is it? If that's what he does outside in public, what the fuck are you two doing in private?" Ogata questioned, his voice reflecting his indignant reaction.

"You act like this is something that happens all the time," Kaiba snapped, wondering why the hell he had to justify himself to someone like Ogata.

"It shouldn't even happen at all!" Ogata shot back, but Kaiba was still in the middle of his denial.

"Besides, I've never even been here before and—"

Once again interrupting Kaiba, Ogata raised his voice as he demanded, "You think _that's_ the problem?"

"The problem here is that you're trying to involve yourself in something you know nothing about and—"

"No, the problem is you're letting yourself get felt up by another guy while—!" Ogata started to yell at him before getting cut off again.

"It's not like that, damn it!" Kaiba snarled back at Ogata, resenting the implications—all the more so because he could see just how easily they could be made.

"Then what is it like?" Ogata challenged, wanting to hear an answer that would make everything make sense. "If you want me to stop drawing the wrong conclusions, then explain it!"

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba refused, "I don't owe you any explanations! Besides, _you're_ the one—"

Not interested in hearing Kaiba's attempts to deflect the blame, Ogata tried a different tactic, "Fine, but you at least owe Yami an explanation!"

"He already knows," Kaiba spat, the words tinged with disgust at the disgraceful situation.

It wasn't the response that Ogata had been expecting and he stared at Kaiba in shock as he replied, "Yami already knows you're with someone else…?"

"I'm not with him!" Kaiba heatedly denied, the thought repulsing him.

"Funny, because from where I was standing—"

"Where you shouldn't have been!" Kaiba shot back, still infuriated that the humiliating exchange had been witnessed.

Instead of finishing his previous thought, Ogata started down a different path, "You're just pissed that you got caught."

"I'm pissed that it _happened_," Kaiba growled, "and I wasn't 'caught' doing anything, asshole!"

"You could have stopped it," Ogata pointed out, the words feeling like a physical hit of reality to Kaiba. "You should have stopped it and you _didn't_."

It was a painful fact, one that Kaiba was already beating himself up over; he had tried, but not hard enough. It was too much like giving in, like allowing the priest's weak acceptance to filter through; it was unacceptable behavior. "You act like I didn't try," Kaiba mumbled, the words sounding pathetic to his own ears.

Ogata could only scoff at the lame excuse, hardly believing what he was hearing. "You call _that_ trying?" Ogata asked in disbelief. "You could have flattened that guy to the ground with a single hit, but you just stood there!"

"Shut up! I was just caught off-guard," Kaiba argued, but he knew that wasn't it.

"Oh?" Ogata hummed with interest, the only warning Kaiba got before he acted. Shoving Kaiba back, Ogata smoothly relocated himself on top of his boss and pinned him against the grass. "So all it takes is catching you off-guard?"

Struggling against Ogata's grip, Kaiba clenched his hands into fists as he started to warned, "Stop this now before I—"

"And what could you possibly do to me that you haven't already threatened me with?" Ogata cruelly asked, shifting his weight when Kaiba tried to flip them.

"Ogata, let me go!" Kaiba ordered as he continued thrashing against the hold, but unable to get the leverage he needed.

Leaning forward, Ogata's voice was low as he challenged, "What if I don't want to?"

Although he felt something twist inside of him at Ogata's words, Kaiba refused to show any reaction. "What do you mean if you don't _want_ to?" Kaiba icily demanded, clenching his fists tightly in Ogata's grip.

"What do you _think_ I mean?" Ogata countered, pressing close enough to make Kaiba instinctively draw back as much as the ground under him would allow.

"_Now_," Kaiba commanded in a menacing tone with a lethal glare, not liking the direction the situation seemed to be heading. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Why are you resisting this more than what just happened to you?" Ogata questioned, unable to understand why his boss had acted so out of character. "Why didn't you defend yourself?"

"You act like I wanted that to happen!" Kaiba snarled, resuming his fight. Every time he thought he got a foothold or a body shift to throw Ogata off of him, the older man counteracted it, maintaining his grip. "Now stop this ridiculous—!"

Tilting his head as he gave Kaiba a scrutinizing look, Ogata finally said what he was thinking, "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Kaiba questioned, his voice terse as he continued to try and throw Ogata off of him.

"Why you let him do that," Ogata clarified, still trying to make sense of what he had witnessed. When Kaiba started to protest, Ogata tightened his grip to a painful point, making the pinned teen hiss. "What makes him so different?"

Outside of the obvious influence of the priest's still settling soul, Kaiba didn't have a believable excuse for himself, much less for Ogata. "Let me go and I'll tell you," Kaiba tried to bargain.

Leaning closer, Ogata murmured, "I know you too well to do that," and Kaiba felt something inside of him tighten at the look Ogata was giving him. It was a dark hunger, a cruel wanting, something so carefully hidden that now Kaiba was overly aware of since his intrusion into Ogata's mind earlier that night. "But apparently I don't know you as well as I thought I did…"

Before Kaiba could question what that meant, his mind came to a screeching halt when Ogata shifted forward and pressed his lips against his bared throat, mirroring Bakura's placement. Kaiba's breathing hitched when another one was placed right above it, and then another; they were reverent and lingering, causing him to shudder against his will. "You've gone too far," Kaiba warned as he tried to jerk away from the actions.

"I'm less than halfway from where he stopped," Ogata maliciously pointed out, punctuating his sentence with another kiss.

"That's not what I meant!" Kaiba growled, trying to figure out if he could use Ogata's proximity to his advantage for freedom.

Deciding to be daring in an effort to speed things up, Ogata licked the rest of the way up, indulging in his first and last taste. "Then why aren't you stopping me?" Ogata murmured lowly in Kaiba's ear, sadness shading his seductive tone. "Why are you just laying there and accepting this?"

"Why are you doing this?" Kaiba countered, although in truth he was deeply shaken by what was occurring.

"Because I'm this kind of a man," Ogata replied with a self-depreciating laugh, "and you're supposed to be better than this."

As Kaiba continued to struggle, Ogata tried suckling on his earlobe just to see if he could get away with it. "How much more are you going to let me get away with?" Ogata asked, not trusting himself because the memories of being stripped and pinned against a wall while being caressed by Kaiba were still fresh in his mind. "How much more do you let him get away with?"

"Nothing!" Kaiba heatedly denied, although it was galling that it wasn't entirely true. When Kaiba felt Ogata shifting positions for his next move, he took advantage of the unbalance and finally managed to flip their positions. Rather than staying on top and leaving himself open to another reversal, Kaiba stood up, only to have Ogata grab his hand and yank him back down to sit on the ground.

"Seto, what's going on?" Ogata asked him seriously, sitting up to face him properly. "This is all beyond abnormal even by your standards—which include glowing eyes and moving shadows—so seriously, what's happening?"

"You've lost your fucking mind," Kaiba snapped, yanking his hand back from Ogata's. and reflexively rubbing at his neck, as if to erase evidence of what just happened. "Is this what he meant by a shared interest? I should have known."

The jump in conversation confused Ogata and he repeated, "Shared interest?"

"The real reason Itja approached you," Kaiba replied in disgust as he finally moved his hand away.

"You saw that from before?" Ogata asked, still confused about how that worked.

"No, he told me."

"How?"

Realizing that Ogata still hadn't made the link in logic, Kaiba watched the man carefully when he revealed, "Just now, before you got here."

"…is he the older brother or something? Cousin?" Ogata hesitantly questioned, knowing he probably wouldn't like the answer.

"No, you just saw Itja for who he normally is: Bakura Ryou," Kaiba explained, finding it fascinating to watch disbelief, disgust, and horror battle for rank in Ogata's expression.

Holding up his hand, Ogata demanded, "Wait, so you're telling me I slept with a _high schooler_?"

"Says the person who was just on top of one," Kaiba muttered as he glared at Ogata.

"The person who stripped and pinned someone against a wall to feel them up for information has no right to talk," Ogata retorted before turning serious. "You're saying that I slept with a guy who murdered three people after we were done?"

"Am I saying that he fucked you just to get information to do that? Yes," Kaiba confirmed, somewhat pleased to see that horror was now the dominating expression on Ogata's face.

"And he did it to…what? Try and seduce you?" Ogata questioned with a rude snort at the absurdity of the idea.

Looking down at the ground with a dark expression, Kaiba replied, "That's what I came over here to find out."

Things were slowly starting to piece together and Ogata could only shake his head as he realized, "So that was his idea of an explanation?"

Rather than acknowledging the comment, Kaiba warned, "He may still try and find you."

"What do you want me to do? Stay away from him or try and get even?" Ogata offered, knowing that the same mistakes couldn't be made again.

Resting his forehead against his knees, Kaiba sighed heavily as he truthfully answered, "I don't know. You never should have been involved."

"Seto, if I had known, I wouldn't have—"

Looking up to glare at Ogata, Kaiba interrupted, "Wouldn't have what? Slept with him? Acted so stupidly just now?"

"I went too far," Ogata quietly apologized, although there was a dark part of his mind that couldn't regret it.

"Because you wanted to know why him and not you," Kaiba added, "not because you wanted to know why him and not anybody else."

The insight temporarily silenced Ogata and he hesitated as he tried to figure out how to proceed. "We haven't been our selves tonight," Ogata pointed out, hoping that his boss wouldn't put all the blame on him for the events.

"Doesn't excuse it," Kaiba immediately snapped.

"No, it doesn't," Ogata agreed with a heavy sigh. "So now what?"

Curbing the urge to sigh as well, Kaiba leaned back on his hands and morosely repeated, "Now what, indeed…"

Glancing over at Kaiba, Ogata worried his lower lip as he debated what to do next. It's why he was startled when Kaiba abruptly asked, "What did Yami tell you after I left?"

"That I should be smart enough to figure it out without asking any questions," Ogata answered with a snort.

Despite his bad mood, even Kaiba couldn't hold back a smirk at his boyfriend's flippant answer. "And?" Kaiba pressed, trying to keep the humor out of his voice.

"Well, I've already proven myself an idiot tonight and a few questions couldn't hurt, _or _I could save what little dignity I have left in this situation and just chalk your…_abilities_ up to the many mystiques of Kaiba Seto," Ogata wryly replied, winking out of habit when Kaiba looked his way.

The sheer audacity of it made Kaiba laugh as he indignantly asked, "You're never going to change, are you?"

"Do you want me to?" Ogata asked, a note of seriousness coming into his tone.

Giving Ogata a long look, Kaiba finally turned away and looked up at the sky as he questioned, "Change into what?"

"A better person?" Ogata suggested, watching his boss look to the sky.

Snorting rudely, Kaiba immediately rejected, "Impossible."

"I'd make the effort," Ogata defended himself.

Turning to face Ogata once more, Kaiba asked, "Why?"

"Why?" Ogata repeated, his expression guarded, knowing Kaiba would pick up on anything.

"For me," Kaiba realized, the concept unsettling to him in light of everything that had happened. "That's beyond the scope of your pay."

Shrugging, Ogata casually said, "It's never been about the paycheck."

Kaiba started to press the issue, but he recognized he was getting closer to the heart of the issue than he was comfortable with addressing. Deciding it was time to end it, Kaiba fell into their old banter, "Then I guess you won't mind a pay cut, then?"

"I'd like a pay raise more," Ogata shot back, feeling relieved at the easy out he was being given.

"Then earn it," Kaiba challenged him, standing up and brushing himself off, annoyed that he could do nothing for the grass stains at the moment.

"Seto?" Ogata asked questioningly, looking up at him in confusion.

"You heard me," Kaiba told him as he started to walk back up the embankment.

Ogata scrambled to follow, catching up quickly while trying to figure out if Kaiba was implying something else with his words. "Seto, wait," Ogata requested, taking hold of Kaiba's elbow just before they reached the car.

Arching an eyebrow, Kaiba questioned, "For?"

Ogata's immediate response failed him as he met Kaiba's gaze. "For…" Ogata started to say, but trailed off into silence.

"Do you expect me to wait all night for you to finish your thought?" Kaiba sarcastically asked.

"I just…look, I—" Ogata tried to explain, irritated with himself for jumbling his words.

"Earn it," Kaiba repeated as he turned to face Ogata properly, an idea forming in his mind. "And you can start right now."

"Meaning?"

"Resist the temptation," Kaiba cryptically said with a wicked look that gave Ogata other ideas.

"Temptation?" Ogata repeated, the word rich on his tongue as he unintentionally leaned in closer to Kaiba, his grip tightening on the teen's arm.

The action didn't go unnoticed by Kaiba and he cursed the insights that made the innuendo that much worse between Ogata. It was a useful form of power over his employee, but it was a card that Kaiba wasn't sure if he should play anymore; it might only serve as encouragement and that was the last thing he wanted. Still, Kaiba knew he needed to keep Ogata unbalanced long enough to get away. "Yes, _temptation_," Kaiba clarified, fascinated how the mere word caused Ogata to react. "Because you're going to want to seek him out, but you will _resist_."

"What?" Ogata asked, not understanding and confused only partially by the undertones and the fact that Kaiba had let his hand start drifting down the arm that was holding it.

"Your car was around the corner, correct?" Kaiba asked as he unlocked his car with his other hand.

"Yeah, but that was back at—"

Smirking knowingly and releasing Ogata, Kaiba smugly said, "Exactly," as he opened his car door. "Good luck with that."

"You're leaving me here?" Ogata incredulously asked, knowing they were far away from any means of transportation.

Getting into his car, Kaiba replied, "Consider it part of your punishment."

"Penitence, surely?" Ogata questioned.

"Oh, we'll get to that," Kaiba promised with a devious grin before slamming his car door shut and driving away.

Ogata could only stare after the disappearing taillights in shock, although he logically knew he had gotten off rather easy; no, this was just the start of it. He knew that there would be hours ahead for him to think on everything that had happened, but his first priority was getting back to his car.

Reaching into his pocket for his phone, Ogata's eyes went wide when he found it empty. Checking his other pockets, Ogata was shocked to find that his wallet had gone missing, too. "Not going to make it easy for me, are you?" Ogata muttered to himself as he realized Kaiba had pickpocketed him of the two things that would allow him to get back to his car faster. "Now who taught him how to do that…?"

_At least he left me my keys_, Ogata consoled himself as he started walking back in the direction of where he left his car. Somehow it seemed appropriate to have a long walk back to think on everything that had happened. He could only imagine what twisted ideas of punishment Kaiba was thinking up for him on his drive home.

* * *

**A/N:** First off, I am so very, very sorry for the unexplained delay in posting. For those of you who have been following me for awhile, you know exactly how unusual it is for me to go almost three months without an update, let alone a word about why. For almost six years I've prided myself on publishing almost every single Sunday without fail despite an insane schedule pace (notable exceptions being family deaths or one extreme illness that had me down for a month in June 2009), so to go so many weeks without an update has made me feel like such a failure. I've been struggling with this decision and my denial and guilt have been warring it out in the interim, but it's finally hit the point where I have to make an announcement.

**I am going to take a temporary hiatus**. It pains me more than I can even express to have things come down to this point and I tried desperately to avoid this, but I have no other choice at this point. A lot of you noticed I started having consistency problems in December and that coincided with what's been happening to me (along with my shitty internet connection that just compounded the posting problem). I was still trying to push through everything like my normal stubborn-headed self.

But the truth is, I'm living alone in a foreign country and am currently suffering through a major medical crisis, so it's difficult on so many different levels. I've tried so hard to balance everything these past few months and keep it from affecting my writing ability and my readers, but even I finally have to admit that it's beyond me at this point—and that's coming from someone who managed for two years to pull off a weekly schedule that consisted of working 40+ hours, 16 hours of graduate classes with a 20+ hour commute, reading almost 2,000 pages and writing 20 pages for class, plus my 1,500~5,000+ word chapters, AND slept for less than eight total hours during the work week. Translation: this was not a decision I came to lightly so when _I'm_ saying I can't push through it, it means I _literally_ cannot do it. I refuse to put out half-assed unfinished work to satisfy my pride of scheduled posts, so hopefully you can forgive my decision to suspend updates.

Now as to **the duration of the hiatus**…that's the part I don't know yet. I'll be temporarily returning to America in a month to seek treatment for this before returning back to Japan to continue my studies. I'm _hoping_ that by mid-April/early-May things will start to improve to the point where I can resume my stories, but I just don't have any concrete answers at this point. I know that's not what people want to hear, and trust me, I hate the non-answer even more. What I hope for and what happens are two separate things, as this forced hiatus is proving so thoroughly…

Having said that, there are a few **things I want to make very clear** to everyone. What I'm going through is NOT life-threatening, terminal, pregnancy, etc., but it _is_ serious enough that it has to come to this, unfortunately. **I am NOT giving up on my stories, the fandom, or writing**. I WILL return and finish L&F, continue my Entangled Series, finish _Truthful Lies_, post my sequels to _Forbidden_ and _Offerings_, plus start some new exciting projects. I'm nowhere close to being done and this is only a temporary and annoyingly frustrating setback, but I do NOT give up, so please trust in that.

To those of you that have PMed me in the past few months to ask if I was okay, I was so touched by that and the fact that such amazingly detailed and thoughtful reviews were still coming in from so many readers. But it also made me realized that I owed it to everyone to explain what was going on, because often times not knowing is worse than the truth. Your words give me so much strength and encouragement, so I thank you for your kindness and understanding—especially in this difficult time.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

_Kaiba returns home to Yami. _

I promise, there WILL be another chapter and another one after that, etc, etc. Maybe in April or May, but I just don't know, so I can't in good faith give my customary next posting date.

I will still be using Twitter during this time and if you use it, feel free to follow me. If you PM me through FFnet, I WILL respond…it _might_ take me a few days, though. So if you're okay with that, then I encourage you to PM away and don't be surprised when you get a Wordy McVerbose reply, hahaha. And if you're thinking, "If you can do that, then you should be able to update your damn stories," I will simply say that answering questions and writing involved plot-heavy fics are two different things, after all.

Again, I am so beyond sorry about this, but unfortunately I have to focus on getting myself better, so that way I can return to all of you and these stories faster and in better shape. So I hope you can forgive me for this and that we meet again soon in the next chapter.


	44. Chapter 44: Returning

**Chapter 44: Returning**

Kaiba was surprised to find Yami waiting for him in the kitchen, staring contemplative into the depths of the freezer. Without turning around, Yami said, "That took less time than I thought it would."

Even though it lacked the note of recrimination Kaiba felt he deserved, it still made him feel a twinge. Feeling the need to defend himself, Kaiba shrugged it off with, "It would have taken even less time if Ogata hadn't shown up and delayed me."

Finally shutting the freezer door and turning around to face Kaiba, Yami smiled wanly as he explained, "It was either Ogata showing up or me. I figured he was the least likely to…_interfere_."

"Interfere?" Kaiba repeated, choosing to focus on that rather than the technicality that Yami couldn't have followed him without help. Still, the nagging thought about what would have happened if Yami had tagged along with Ogata made Kaiba feel sick inside, but he pushed it aside as best he could.

"You know exactly what I mean," Yami replied as he narrowed his eyes in annoyance over the situation with Bakura.

Eyes softening a bit, Kaiba agreed, "Yeah, I suppose I do," with a heavy sigh.

Walking over and hugging him tightly, Yami rested his chin on Kaiba's chest as he looked up and asked, "Is he still in this realm?"

"Unfortunately," Kaiba answered with a deep frown, even as he wrapped his arms around Yami and pulled him closer.

"He didn't give you the answers you wanted, did he?" Yami asked, although it was more of a stated certainty.

"I was foolish to believe otherwise," Kaiba muttered darkly, seeing that now that he was in a calmer state of mind.

"Hey," Yami softly called, tried to refocus Kaiba's attention onto him. When Kaiba looked down him, Yami gently kissed him. "You're here now, that's what matters."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kaiba questioned with a rude snort.

"Why don't we go upstairs and I'll show you," Yami suggested with a flirtatious wink.

"I thought you were getting something to eat?"

"It can wait," Yami reassured him as he took Kaiba's hand and gently tugged on it to try and get him to follow.

"No, it can't," Kaiba crossly disagreed, making Yami groan at the tone as he was drug back into the kitchen.

Groaning and trying to hold back, Yami attempted to persuade him, "I was just getting dessert because I was bored waiting for you to get back. I wasn't actually hungry."

"You eat, I'll go check on Mokuba," Kaiba bargained, pulling some fruit out of the fridge.

Realizing that Kaiba wasn't going to change his mind, Yami finally relented with a disgruntled, "Fine, fine," as he accepted the food being held out to him. "Don't keep me waiting long…"

Muttering a consenting noise, Kaiba walked away and started to head upstairs to check on his brother. He stopped short outside of Mokuba's door, hesitating before he knocked. Kaiba knew that they were going to have to talk about what Mokuba had witnessed, but the selfish part of him wished to put it off as long as possible. What could he even say?

Resolving himself, Kaiba knocked quietly on the door and waited for an answer. When he heard none, Kaiba slowly opened the door and peeked into the room. His expression softened into fondness at the sight of his brother sprawled out on his bed, his game controller fallen onto the floor while the _Game Over_ flashed repeatedly on the screen, illuminating Mokuba's sleeping form.

Turning off the system, Kaiba then covered his brother with a blanket and decided to leave it at that for the moment. It was shameful to feel relieved at the easy out, but Kaiba left, turning off the lights and silently shutting the door behind him.

Walking into his own room, Kaiba quickly stripped and got into the shower. It felt better than it should have to clean himself after his encounters with Bakura and Ogata, but he knew that it would take more than just water to cleanse him of the bad experience

More than that, he wanted to be free of Seto's shadow, free of that weirdness that never seemed to go away. Bakura was a complicated enough issue without adding Seto into it—then again, without Seto in between them, Kaiba couldn't help but think maybe it would actually be worse. No, it didn't pay to think about such things, so Kaiba shook his head, wishing the thoughts flew away as easily as the waterdrops from his hair.

"That bad?" Yami asked with a concerned look as he entered the bathroom.

Trying not to look as startled as he felt, Kaiba arrogantly said, "I don't know what you're talking about," running his fingers through his hair to get it out of his eyes.

"Are you oblivious to the fact that you take a shower every time something goes badly?" Yami scoffed. "I find that hard to believe."

"That's not the only reason I shower," Kaiba growled, resenting the implication.

"True, but you always seem to end up in the shower after an encounter with Bakura," Yami pointed out, frowning as he recalled how many times he was aware of it happening—and how many times he was unaware of it.

"_Meaning_?" Kaiba coldly demanded, his voice echoing in the shower as he abruptly turned off the water.

Arching an eyebrow at the reaction, Yami shrugged and tried to play it off with a casual, "Just a concerned observation, that's all."

"It's not necessary," Kaiba snapped as exited the shower and grabbed his towel.

"Generally, the point is to be in a better mood when you're finished," Yami mused as he watched Kaiba angrily dry himself.

"No, _generally_ the point is hygiene," Kaiba disagreed, but even he realized how harsh he sounded, so he tried to soften the blow a little. "Unless you're around, of course."

Grinning slyly, Yami stopped Kaiba on his way to the mirror, resting his hands against heated bare skin. "So is that an invitation to join you in one now?"

"No," Kaiba refused as he walked around Yami and wrapped the towel around his waist.

"Later?" Yami questioned, knowing he was pushing his luck.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Kaiba exhaled slowly before conceding, "Yeah, probably."

"You sound so thrilled," Yami sarcastically commented with a laugh that wasn't reciprocated. "Have I become so boring to you already?"

"Of course not," Kaiba immediately protested as he turned to face Yami.

Seeing the look of mildly disturbed confusion on Kaiba's face, Yami reached out to reassure him. "You know I don't really think that," Yami told him as he took Kaiba's hand and led them out of the bathroom. When Kaiba said nothing, Yami felt the need to continue. "I do think we need to talk, though."

"Now?" Kaiba asked, his voice filled with the distaste he felt at the suggestion.

Gesturing for Kaiba to get into bed, Yami started to take off his clothes as he promised, "No, that can wait until later. Neither of us feel up to that."

"Then?" Kaiba questioned as Yami got into bed.

Reaching over and stroking Kaiba's cheek, Yami asked, "When are you going to let me back in?"

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked as he took Yami's hand into his own.

"You shut me out right after you exploded the TV," Yami explained as he prodded against their closed off connection. "I know you did it unintentionally, but…"

Only then did Kaiba realize the silence between them. He had become so accustomed to their connection that it had escaped his notice that he had withdrawn so fully; it always felt like he was there in the background. "I…" Kaiba tried to explain, but he was unable to. "I don't even know how…"

Kissing Kaiba's hand that still held his, Yami reassured him, "Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it, just fix it?" Kaiba restated with a snort.

Laughing quietly as he pulled Kaiba closer, Yami agreed, "Something like that," before kissing him. Kaiba leaned down into it, pinning Yami against the bed as he resituated himself on top and tried to reestablish connection.

Realizing that it would speed things up, Yami reached out through his side of their link and tried to coax it back that way. Kaiba was still just as cut off, so Yami tried reaching out with his powers instead and could only gasp when the block was suddenly removed and everything came flooding through at once.

It was enough to make Kaiba stop what he was doing as he tried to sort through the sudden avalanche of emotions filtering through his senses. He started to come back to awareness when Yami groaned as if he were in pain, immediately concerning Kaiba. "What?" he asked, reflexively brushing back Yami's bangs.

"How have you not passed out?" Yami groaned, feeling the crushing weight of Kaiba's exhaustion that the brunette wasn't outwardly showing.

"What the are you talking about?" Kaiba demanded, sounding harsher because of his concern.

"You're so exhausted that I can barely stay awake," Yami told him, preventing Kaiba when he tried to shut him out again.

"But I'm fine," Kaiba insisted. Sure, he was tired of the bullshit, the drama, and the spiritual side of him was drained, but he had been worst.

Pulling Kaiba down into a hug, Yami murmured, "That's what worries me."

Readjusting himself to accommodate the new position, Kaiba said, "I still don't get it."

"What you've endured that this is okay," Yami sighed, carding his fingers through Kaiba's still damp hair. "Rest."

When Kaiba started to protest, Yami hugged him that much tighter. "Come on, we both need it," Yami tried to persuade him, although the last part of his sentence was lost in a yawn.

Conceding only out of his concern for Yami, Kaiba told him, "Sleep," as he shut off the lights, kissing Yami's neck before settling in to eventually do the same.

* * *

**A/N:** I know this isn't the most exciting chapter to make my return on and probably not worth the six month wait, but I hope everyone enjoys it all the same...

I'm doing better than I was, but I'm still not one hundred percent. So for now, I'm going to attempt **updating twice a month on the first and third Sunday**. I know it isn't ideal, but hopefully anything is better than months of silence. My goal is to eventually return to weekly updates, but I want to ease into this first so I don't get too overwhelmed.

To everyone who PMed and emailed me over the past few months to check in on me, I just wanted to say thank you so much. During such a tough time, it meant the world to me to know that you guys haven't given up on me. It reminds me of how many wonderful friendships I've been blessed with over the years because of writing and it helped give me courage to come back and finish this.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_The hell it isn't!" Yami shot back, slamming his hands on the table and standing up in his indignant rage. "You don't get to keep me locked up in a cage because of what happened, damn it!"_

I'm hoping to post the next chapter on **Sunday, July 15th**, but in the meantime I look forward to hearing your thoughts.


	45. Chapter 45: Set Up

**Chapter 45: Set Up**

Kaiba was on edge as he entered homeroom, his mood already dark with annoyance over being so irritated over his concerns about Bakura's behavior. He didn't trust the thief not to say something to Yami and things escalating and his suspicions were immediately confirmed when he saw Bakura sitting alone in the room. "Yo," Bakura casually greeted Kaiba, but the small upturn of his lips made the brunette narrow his eyes in distrust as he shut the door behind him.

Bakura watched as Kaiba walked to his desk with the grace of a natural predator, taking deep satisfaction in knowing he still had the power to unbalance the former priest in such a manner. He said nothing as Kaiba sat down his briefcase and turned to face him; Bakura let the silence fill the space between them just to build the tension to an almost palpable level. Waiting until just before Kaiba lashed out in rage, Bakura finally stood up and made his approach, sitting on the desk next to the brunette's and reclining back on his arms for a better view.

Kaiba frowned at the suggestive expression on Bakura's face, the wanton pose of offering causing a startling flash of memory when the thief was posed similarly on an altar for a sensual sacrifice for the newly appointed pharaoh. He wanted to shake his head to dislodge the memory, but Kaiba didn't dare do so for fear of giving away his disturbance for the thief to use to his advantage.

"_You always did find your strength in the shadows_," Bakura commented in their ancient language with a harsh laugh.

"Meaning?" Kaiba ground out, refusing to reciprocate the language.

Rather than answering, Bakura merely laughed again and lazily shifted his legs into a more comfortable position. "_You look like you're expecting something from me_," Bakura finally commented with a sly grin, amused by the slow build up of frustration he was watching escalate behind those expressive blue eyes.

The comment could easily be misconstrued and Kaiba wanted to avoid paying into Bakura's game at almost any cost. It was too dangerous normally, but the added pressure of the impending arrival of students was too much to risk. His refusal to say anything caused Bakura to comment, "_I'm surprised you're trying to play the silent treatment punishment game. You know it only encourages me to say things."_

"Then say what you're going to say and be done with it," Kaiba snapped, knowing full well what kind of things Bakura would start to say if left unchecked.

"_Not until you ask nicely,_" Bakura refused in a singsong voice that made Kaiba roll his eyes. When Kaiba said nothing further, Bakura used the opportunity to edge forward on the desk and lean closer to Kaiba, pinning him with a serious look. "_We used to be friends once._"

"We were many things, but we were never _friends_," Kaiba spat in disgust, ignoring the stirring memories in the back of his mind that wanted to protest.

"_No matter how many millennia pass, you never change_," Bakura commented with a laugh as he leaned back again, remembering similar protests the priest had offered so many centuries ago. "_I just have to wait it out._"

"Then go wait it out somewhere else," Kaiba snarled, "preferably out of my sight."

"_Just remember, I'm good at waiting_," Bakura reminded Kaiba before gracefully sliding off the desk and casually walking back to his own.

Kaiba could only blink at the place Bakura had just been, wondering what had just happened. It almost sounded like Bakura was willingly backing off from his harassment, but surely that couldn't be right; Kaiba was rarely so fortunate. He distrusted the thief, but for the time being, he would take the silence if only so he could formulate a counterattack for later.

As the classroom started to fill up with students, Kaiba put the matter from his mind for the time being; dwelling on it would only be giving the thief what he wanted and Kaiba was done with that.

* * *

"I figured you'd be in here," Yami announced as he let himself into a teacher's conference room and found Kaiba sitting at the desk with various papers spread out in front of him.

Glancing up and seeing Yami carrying lunch, Kaiba smirked as he said, "Can't take the pressure of the fanbrats anymore?"

"You would know," Yami replied, having seen first hand at public events the reaction Kaiba's appearance caused.

"I told him not to tell you about that," Kaiba muttered, incorrectly assuming that Ogata had told Yami about the fanmail letters.

Tilting his head in confusion, Yami asked, "I was talking about your fans. What are you referring to?"

Waving it away and setting aside the papers as best he could, Kaiba told him, "Nothing, don't worry about it."

"It sounded like something," Yami continued playfully before sliding a sandwich across the table for Kaiba to eat.

Figuring it was the perfect way to get off topic, Kaiba accepted it and guessed, "Gift from Anzu?" She was the only one who made him food and he wasn't surprised anymore by her thoughtfulness of making something he could eat with one hand while still working with the other.

Yami nodded in confirmation with a grin, amused and slightly amazed that Kaiba began to eat it without complaint. "You two really got along while I was…elsewhere," Yami commented, unable to settle on a satisfactory word for his disappearance.

"It's not as if we didn't before," Kaiba pointed out with a shrug.

"Yeah, but it's nice," Yami insisted, amazed at the difference.

Snorting rudely, Kaiba dismissed it with a brusque, "Whatever," as he continued eating.

Letting it go only because he could feel the swirl of muted amusement through their connection, Yami decided to change the subject. "So what are you doing later?"

"I have to get these proposals finished and—"

"I meant _later_ later," Yami interrupted, smirking in a way that let Kaiba know exactly what he meant.

"You, apparently," Kaiba retorted, getting a raucous burst of laughter from Yami from the comment.

Reigning in his amusement, Yami teased, "You make it sound like such a hardship."

"You act like you have to schedule it in with my secretary," Kaiba countered with an eye roll.

Nudging Kaiba with his knee under the table, Yami said, "I'm just teasing. Well, about that part of it, anyway."

"Good to know," Kaiba said with another snicker under his breath as he continued to eat.

"By the way, what are you working on?" Yami asked, curious about the paperwork in front of him. "You seem to still be in a decent mood, so it has to be interesting."

Scowling at the comment, Kaiba answered, "Just trying to get more funding for the upcoming tournament. I can't rely on Kanagawa alone, much as I would prefer it that way."

"Kanagawa?" Yami asked, feeling like it was a name that he was supposed to know.

"He's a CEO of another company and a tolerable person," Kaiba explained, trying to remember if Yami had met him at the banquet or not.

"The guy with the insufferable daughter who was all over you?" Yami guessed with a grin, remembering how irritated Kaiba was at the girl's affections.

Shuddering at the memory, Kaiba confirmed, "Yes, that one," annoyed at Yami's laughter over his former suffering under Reiko's attentions.

"He must be really amazing for you to still praise him after being subjected to that," Yami realized.

"He's a rare person in the industry," Kaiba explained, "but it's not good for business to show favoritism to only one company."

"Makes sense," Yami agreed. "When's the tournament?"

"Some time in the summer and no, you are forbidden to enter," Kaiba told Yami, bracing himself for the inevitable fight his words brought and he wasn't disappointed by the brilliant flare of rage he felt through their connection.

Pushing aside his finished lunch, Yami demanded, "What do you mean that I'm _forbidden_ from participating?"

"That you are forbidden from being a contestant," Kaiba answered, doing his best to not sound patronizing. "We can't risk it."

"What risk?" Yami questioned, knowing that the only risk to them was no longer a threat.

"The world finding out about you and your connection to Yuugi," Kaiba started to tick off his fingers, "the chance someone might connect us and put you in harms way, the fact that—"

"Oh, come on! None of that will happen," Yami argued. "And even if they did ask where I came from, we have the paperwork to back up my existence."

Shaking his head, Kaiba said, "It's not up for discussion, Yami."

"The hell it isn't!" Yami shot back, slamming his hands on the table and standing up in his indignant rage. "You don't get to keep me locked up in a cage because of what happened, damn it!"

"That's not what this is about," Kaiba tried to placate him, although in truth the comment caught him by surprise. "You would be on the international stage and there's too many things that can go wrong."

"This discussion isn't over," Yami warned him, still outraged at Kaiba refusing to let him participate.

"There's nothing to discuss," Kaiba calmly said, "so you're just wasting your energy at this point."

"No—!"

Standing up and walking around the table to confront Yami, Kaiba took him by surprise when he reached out and pulled him into a hug. "I'd love to see you win in my tournament, it would be fantastic for ratings and my company, but I can't allow you to, understand?" Kaiba tried to explain, not liking his decision any more than Yami.

"No," Yami denied in a muffled voice into Kaiba's chest, although he reluctantly returned the hug. "I just don't like you forbidding me from doing anything."

"Admittedly, that came out wrong," Kaiba sighed, knowing if he gave a little it would go farther to help his case. "Will you please not participate in the tournament?"

Before agreeing, Yami asked some questions of his own, "Can Yuugi?"

"He has to defend his title, so he absolutely better show up or else," Kaiba replied, knowing his shares would tank if Yuugi didn't participate.

"Am I at least allowed to at least go and watch?"

Kaiba consented, "From a private box, yes."

"With all of our friends? _Including_ Jounouchi-kun," Yami pressed.

"Yes," Kaiba agreed, having already planned for that anyway.

"Then fine, I won't participate, but I'm not happy about it," Yami finally agreed, logically knowing it was a bad idea and not wanting to steal away his aibou's title under those circumstances.

Kissing Yami's forehead, Kaiba said, "Thank you," and got a pout for his efforts. "I'll make it up to you later."

"Yes, you better," Yami agreed as he poked Kaiba in the side and smirked when the unexpected action made the brunette jolt slightly.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry," Kaiba apologized, causing Yami's eyebrows to raise in surprise.

"So am I, but it is what it is," Yami agreed, annoyed that a damper had been put on their formerly good moods.

"Would you be able to come over at seven?" Kaiba asked as he stepped back and went to his seat once more.

Taking his own seat, Yami questioned, "Dinner?"

"If you'd like," Kaiba agreed.

"Sakaguchi-san's?" Yami asked with a cheshire grin, knowing he had played his hand right. "You _did_ say you'd make it up to me, after all…"

Knowing that the old man would want to see Yami, Kaiba found himself agreeing, "Fine, but Ogata better not show up this time."

"You still haven't forgiven him yet?" Yami asked as he started in on his dessert.

_I still haven't forgiven myself_, Kaiba privately thought, but said nothing on the subject. "He's a long way from being back in my good graces," Kaiba replied, although it was a vague answer at best.

"I knew you couldn't stay mad at him forever," Yami commented with a pleased look that made Kaiba scoff.

"Easily," Kaiba countered.

"Uh huh," Yami agreed, sounding as if he believed anything but that.

It made Kaiba realize, "You've talked to him."

"Of course I have," Yami confirmed. "After all, he _is_ my friend. And yours too, even though you actively deny it."

"How did that even happen?" Kaiba wondered aloud.

"Because he's too charming for his own good?" Yami guessed, laughing at the startled look his comment received.

"Well, you're friends with the mutt, so it makes sense that you'd be friends with that idiot, too," Kaiba commented in a haughty manner that got him a noise of protest.

They were both startled by the bell announcing the end of the lunch period and Yami sighed heavily since it meant back to class; he was overwhelmed by all he had missed and was struggling with it in addition to all the unwanted attention. Gathering up his trash to throw it away, Yami reconfirmed, "Seven at your place?"

"If you want to come over earlier and hang out with Mokuba, you're welcome to," Kaiba offered as he started collecting his papers. "You can go home with Mokuba after school or call Isono later and he'll give you a ride over when you're ready."

Going up on tiptoe to kiss Kaiba, Yami said, "Thank you," and was gratified when it was followed up with a second one.

"I'll see you in class later," Kaiba told him as he left first, knowing if he didn't, they'd never get out of there on time.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the warm welcome back in your reviews and PMs. I appreciate them all and am still working my way through answering them. It was so reassuring to see that people hadn't given up on this massive project.

Speaking of which, the next chapter is the last one. Hard to believe that this behemoth is finally coming to an end…

Oh, and if any of the references in this chapter confused you, you might want to refer back to _Another Lesson_ Chapters 08 and 28 for refreshers on Kanagawa.

**NEXT CHAPTER:**

"_I'm here now, that's what's important," Yami reminded Kaiba, kissing him on the chin in a silent plea. "And I believe we have some catching up to do…"_

The concluding chapter will be posted on **Sunday, July 29th**. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, as always.


	46. Chapter 46: Never Letting Go

**A/N:** This chapter is **84 percent lemon**, so just a head's up on that...

* * *

**Chapter 46: Never Letting Go**

"You can't possibly still be mad," Yami protested as they returned to the Kaiba Mansion after dinner. "You know Sakaguchi-san was just teasing."

"I guess I should be lucky Ogata didn't show up on top of it," Kaiba growled as he angrily undid his tie when they entered his bedroom.

Taking Kaiba's hands in his before the tie came off, Yami asked, "Is it worth ruining the rest of the evening over?"

Sighing heavily, Kaiba knew that Yami was right, infuriating as it was to admit. "No, I just—"

"—don't like the reminder of how affected you were by everything?" Yami guessed.

"Something like that," Kaiba agreed as he embraced Yami.

"I'm here now, that's what's important," Yami reminded Kaiba, kissing him on the chin in a silent plea before slowly tugging the tie free and dropping it to the floor. "And I believe we have some catching up to do…"

Before Kaiba could ask what Yami meant, the perverse glee he felt emanating across their connection gave him a good idea about what the former pharaoh meant. "If you feel up to it," Kaiba tentatively agreed, even as his jacket was discarded to the floor by eager hands.

"Oh, I feel _up_ to it," Yami purred as he took Kaiba's hand and placed it on his already hardening member.

Giving it a firm grope before letting go to help shed their clothes, Kaiba murmured, "You're incorrigible," against Yami's bare shoulder before kissing it.

The random soft moments Kaiba kept displaying were still so new to Yami and he cherished the sweetness, running his fingers appreciatively through brunette hair. "Like you'd have me any other way?" Yami teased, knowing they both knew the answer to that.

Rather than responding, Kaiba continued until both of them were completely naked and on the bed, loving the feeling of Yami underneath him again. He didn't offer much resistance when Yami reversed their positions and started reacquainting himself with Kaiba's body one kiss at a time. For once Kaiba just lay back and enjoyed the attention being lavished on him, knowing it was important for Yami; he could feel it hiding in the shadows of the perversion in their connection.

"You're disturbingly quiet," Yami commented when he made it down to Kaiba's hipbones, stopping to look up at him.

"I didn't know I was supposed to be loud," Kaiba shot back, running his fingers through Yami's hair in a caress.

"You know what I mean," Yami said before suckling one of Kaiba's hipbones and earning a hitched breath.

"Now you're going to think I'm faking it," Kaiba pointed out, earning him a displeased look from Yami. "What?"

"You're still mad," Yami guessed, trying to understand what was going on in Kaiba's mind.

Holding in a sigh, Kaiba reassured him, "I'm not mad, Yami."

"Then what are you?"

"Confused as to why we're discussing my emotional state of being when you can feel it for yourself," Kaiba retorted, having hoped that their connection would spare him from such conversations.

It was true that Yami could feel calmness from Kaiba, which was odd in and of itself, and yes, there was plenty of evidence that he was very in tune with what was happening between them, but something was still off about it.

When Yami said nothing and still looked mildly perplexed, Kaiba joked, "Now who's the one that's over thinking things, hm?"

Shaking his head as if that would rid himself of his odd thoughts, Yami returned to trying to bring pleasure to Kaiba. By the time he took Kaiba's cock into his mouth, those thoughts were completely gone as he softly groaned in appreciation of Yami's efforts. Yami lavished attention and took him in as deep as he could, moaning at finally being allowed to do such things again. It was enough to bring Kaiba to a quick release and Yami arched his eyebrow at Kaiba as he wiped the back of his hand against his mouth to rid himself of any excess.

"When I was gone—"

Kaiba immediately interrupted, "We're not talking about that right now."

"—what did you do?" Yami finished, disregarding the warning, even after seeing the stubborn set of Kaiba's jaw.

"Like I would do _that _while you were in danger," Kaiba growled, his cheeks blushing against his wishes. He could only hope that the flush of exertion would cover it. "It's not something I do normally, so why—? No, forget it. Wrong time and place; it's not up for discussion."

Realizing how foolish he was being by discussing such things in the middle of what was supposed to be enjoyable, Yami let it go. He had always known his boyfriend was a stoic, but that just further proved it further. "Sorry," Yami apologized with a kiss on Kaiba's thigh, knowing he'd never get away with a kiss on the mouth after what he had just finished.

"It's fine," Kaiba reassured him, just wanting off the mortifying topic that was in contrast to the pleasure being offered. Sliding the bottle of lube down to Yami, Kaiba figured it was enough of a hint to get things moving back in the right direction.

Accepting it and the silent consent, Yami eagerly coated his fingers and started to work his way inside of Kaiba, stifling a groan at the feeling of any part of him being back where only he belonged. "I missed this," Yami confessed, kissing any part of Kaiba that he could reach. "You, this, everything, so much…"

"I sure as hell didn't miss this part," Kaiba growled in annoyance as he shifted against the addition of another one of Yami's fingers.

"Necessary evil," Yami replied, even though he agreed with Kaiba's opinion, both as receiver and doer.

"Yeah, yeah," Kaiba sighed as he tried to will his body to relax against the anticipation.

Finally Yami decided it was enough and cleaned his fingers on the sheets, causing Kaiba to scowl. It was quickly forgotten about when Yami started to slide in, making Kaiba shift again to accommodate the intrusion. "It's been so long," Yami moaned wistfully as he slowly pushed in, tempering his want against the fact that it had in fact been months since he had been allowed to be inside Kaiba.

The deepening of their physical connection brought a tightening in their spiritual connection and Kaiba found himself accidently agreeing with a wanton sounding, "Mm," that made Yami grin in victory.

Once he was settled in as deeply as their bodies would allow, Yami kissed Kaiba, getting away with it for a few seconds before his boyfriend's cleanliness issues interrupted it. "Ready?" Yami asked, tightening his grip on Kaiba's legs, loving how long they were, even if it was rather inconvenient against his own short stature.

"Yes," Kaiba consented, but once again it came out in a sexualized moan, startling him and Yami both.

"You're so beautiful," Yami told Kaiba before pulling almost all the way out and sliding back in slowly, enjoying the glide of skin against skin.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to say that kind of shit?" Kaiba groaned, still feeling uncomfortable hearing Yami say such things.

Yami only laughed as he started to pick up the pace, knowing that Kaiba preferred it a little rough. It felt like perfection for Yami and he reveled in the sensations, eventually throwing up their connection to its full extent. Once again there was a powerful shift of energy between them as they linked together, feeling everything deeper, clearer. It had Kaiba writhing and moaning beautifully in abandonment, unable to hold anything back when they were so intimately connected on every possible level.

As much as Yami wanted to prolong the rare experience, it was too much, too good, too everything to last for long and he came hard, pleased when it caused Kaiba to do the same because of the strength of their link. Once again he leaned forward and kissed Kaiba, enjoying it when it was allowed to continue and shocked when it was deepened. He was breathless when they parted and he hated pulling out of Kaiba, but the position was too awkward. Finally collapsing on top of Kaiba, Yami sighed happily when strong arms held him close.

Even Kaiba's mind was pleasantly silent in the aftermath, enjoying the open flow of pleasurable exhaustion between them. He would have happily drifted to sleep if it weren't for the fact that there was a part of his brain that was starting to clamor for a toothbrush and a shower.

"Come on, just a little while longer," Yami pleaded, sensing the shift the second it happened.

Kissing Yami's forehead, Kaiba agreed, "Fine," since his body wasn't inclined to move because of the reassuring weight on top of him. Everything was as it should be and Kaiba could relax at last, knowing that all was right in his world for the time being.

* * *

**A/N:** And so Lost & Found _finally _comes to a conclusion. This is **not the end of Entangled Series**, merely the end of this particular arc of it. I still have several stories in the works for this series, which will be posted after a short break from this ficverse.

I want to thank everyone who has stayed with me this long. It's been a hell of a ride and it means the world to me that you've supported me so much.

My next story that I'll be posting is an **unrelated, stand alone Prideshipping oneshot called **_**Familiar Stranger**_, although I still might decide to change the title between then and now. Regardless, I'll be posting it on **Sunday, August** **12th.**

Thanks again for all of your support and reviews throughout _Lost & Found_ and the Entangled Series in general. May we meet again in the next story!


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